There are certainly days I'm ready to be done with school, move home, and to just get settled into a real, grown-up, adult life. Actually, it's most days now. I am just thoroughly exhausted and would give anything to go to work for eight hours and be able to come home and just relax until I have to go back the next morning. Or to have a weekend that doesn't involve me sitting in my room doing school work or grading papers or assignments for 10-12 hours straight.
However, as stressed out as I am, I can honestly say I am thoroughly enjoying this semester. My focused area of study project is going incredibly well. I am getting a little taste of what teaching at the university level is like. I've already designed and taught a three lessons, four assignments, and have two more lessons and assignments left to develop. The professor I'm working with seems to be quite happy with what I've done, so that makes me feel much more confident (and excited) about a potential career in higher education. CSB/SJU Nutrition Department, here I come. In a few years, anyway ;)
Everyone asks about wedding planning. I think I make things a bit more stressful than it should be. School doesn't help either. I barely have enough time in the week to do my work for my own classes, my project, my TA work, and my internship hours. Just thinking about what I should be taking care of for this wedding right now is way overwhelming. Honestly, sometimes I wish we had just waited until next spring to get married because I'm not feeling like I can actually thoroughly enjoy it. (And yes, Dusty and I have talked about this, so I'm not just blindsiding him with this thought, ha). However, I guess when you spend two years 1300 miles apart, YOU JUST CAN'T WAIT.
I also just realized something very exciting. I will actually be home for the majority of baseball season!! Girls, be prepared to visit Target Field for a certain someone's bachelorette par-tay. I may also get to plant a garden! Oh, the little things that get me excited to be home.
I'm literally to the point at which I can't take more than an hour or two for myself...work, work, work!!! (You should see my room right now...) So, here is a condensed version of the past few months...
Chelsea Elizabeth came out to visit for a long weekend just a couple weeks after I got back from Christmas break! We made the five hour drive down to St. George and Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Definitely a nice escape from the wonderful inversions we were having at the time. And it was 60 degrees down there!
 |
| we made a very quick drive through Bryce Canyon on our way home from Zion! |
Then, less than a week later, Dusty came to visit. I bought him King George's "Cowboy Rides Away" concert tickets for Christmas! Such a great concert. Martina McBride opened for him, too. Best Christmas present ever! ;)
A fun night out with the girls at dueling piano bar in downtown SLC!
And...finally, Britt, Steph, and I went to a diabetes expo a few weeks back and met Bobby Dean!
Wedding planning update...
I got my dress over Christmas Break. What a process that was. I have never resented my indecisiveness so much!! When all was said and done, I visited seven different shops and tried on probably 50+ gowns.
Bridesmaid dress shopping was a whole different story though...we were in and out of the shop within 75 minutes. I had intentions of letting them all choose their own style, but in the end, everyone liked the same dress! And I'm in love with the dress and color! It's a beautiful coral-like shade of pink, with it being more on the pink side than orange, like some "coral" can be.
Also, got our wedding website (mostly) set up, as well as save-the-dates addressed and ready to be sent out. Addressing save-the-dates and really looking closely at our guest list was definitely a bit of an eye-opener for me. Our guest list is close to 600 people, mostly family and close friends. How does that happen?! Many of those won't come, especially since the wedding is over 3 hours away from the majority of the people, but 400 to 450 people is still sooooo many!
Oh, and our engagement pictures are up as well :) Although, I'm sure most of you have seen them already. Sara was so great! I'm definitely not someone who likes my picture taken, especially over and over again over 2+ hours. She made it very fun, though.
Alright, time to get back to the grind...six more weeks, six more weeks...ugh.
Love and miss you all.
