This picture will give a little clue to how my time was occupied last week. :-) Yup, my true love came to visit me for a week! Unfortunately, the day before he came I got the cold bug that seems to be going around. I didn't think it was too bad, but for the next few days I felt kind of crummy and was stuffy and snorty.
Dennis came in on the 9th. We had lunch at Anthony's (a seafood restaurant), wandered through a furniture place, and then visited Lori's family in time for Zoe's birthday party. Can't believe she's 10.
I thought it was special that Dennis was here for my last symphony concert on Sunday. My mom has always attended with me, and sometimes would say something about wishing I had a "special someone" instead. Well, there he was! He got initiated into the mysterious process of moving a harp. I think he'll do well. When he wheeled the harp into the rehearsal where most people were already seated, I felt a dozens of eyes fixed on us, and later heard comments from women about how "cute" or "gorgeous" my fiance' was! They made an announcement at the end of rehearsal about this being my last concert and people I'd hardly ever talked to came up and said kind things and farewells. It was very heartwarming and I felt sad to be saying goodbye to the symphony family I've known for 7 years. But I'm going to a worthy cause. :-)
On Monday we hit the mall. I've never been to so many jewelry stores in my life! My body just wanted to curl up on a couch and be miserable, but store to store we went until we got both our wedding rings and reserved the tuxes. Whew, what a process! We were satisfied with the days work though.
I won't go through the week day by day, partly because it's kind of a blur in my mind. We did some shopping, lots of planning and talking, got pictures taken, had a romantic Valentine's dinner, watched a couple good movies, went to several counselling sessions with my pastor, had dinner with friends, and then attended our engagement party. Dennis unfortunately caught my cold, though it went mostly to his throat and chest. He wasn't feeling great and didn't have much voice by our party on Saturday night, but he was a game trooper in spite of that and hardly knowing anybody. I think my friends approved of him, though my impending departure is still being lamented.
Today I had a little different response. One of my students said something about wishing I wasn't leaving and missing me. I said that I was going to miss everyone here and Washington, too. Her mother then laughed, "You'll get over it!" So matter of fact and refreshing. Well, maybe I will. I was in tears after the party while reading the nice things people said about me, and I kind of questioned my own sanity. What am I doing getting married and moving clear across the country?? Talk about rocking the boat! For someone who doesn't embrace change easily, I'm sure encountering a lot of it all at once. But I'm hoping that God's grace will cover it all, that I'll love being married so much and settle so quickly into my new environment that I will get over the heartwrenching experience of leaving the near and dear.
