10 more sleeps

Sunday night, and there's finally a hint of fall in the air.  Only a hint... Just enough to tease us that cooler and less humid weather is coming. I just pray that it's sooner rather than later! I am so over the Eastern North Carolina summer weather... I just couldn't handle it this year. I didn't even get to the beach except maybe twice!!


Pretty much sums up how I feel

And it's a very bitter sweet Sunday.  Daniel just left about an hour ago, and as he was packing up to leave, he noted that this was the last time he'll stay in this house.  He pointed out that there are only 10 more nights for me in this house (we're taking a mini get away next weekend).  And that in less than 2 weeks, we'll be husband and wife.

Talk about reducing a girl into tears.

The loss of independence.
The loss of a bed of my own.
Moving away from a home I love with a roommate/landlady that I love.
Moving away from a town that I have grown to absolutely adore.
Leaving one job that has been nothing but a blessing to me by employer, coworker, and clientele.
Leaving behind a church that has literally saved me and means so very much to me.

I was an absolute wreck.  I couldn't help but burst into tears with all of these realizations overwhelming me. Poor Daniel didn't know what to do, but he did exactly what I needed -- he just held me and let me cry.

I am so very excited to become Daniels wife. I am ecstatic that he will become my husband.  And I am looking forward to the adventure that our lives are about to embark upon.

But it is a serious life change.  And as we moved all of my furniture out of "my room" and either into a garbage pile in the garage or into a keep pile in the garage, and my room was slowly but steadily emptied of everything that made it mine, the gravity of what was happening hit me.

I'm now staying in one of the guest rooms to bide my time before my nuptials, allowing me to do touch up paint and cleaning to my old room, and allowing Chrissy to begin moving her craft items and music items upstairs.  Erasing "my room" and creating the "hobby room."

They say that marriage is all about sacrifice.  And I firmly believe (and am experiencing) that the sacrifice begins before you actually say "I do." It begins as you sort through items and give things up that have faithfully followed you from college dorm to college apartment to trade school apartment/trailer to career girl rented room.  It begins as you acknowledge that nothing in life will ever be the same again -- that although it is for the good, it is also for the different.

Tears came so quickly and so frequently this weekend...

Tomorrow begins my last full work week before my wedding. 5 work days this week. 3 work days next week. Wedding that Saturday.  Holy. Freaking. Cow.

A Reminder of the Words "Thank You"

It's so easy to become bitter about serving others. About being disappointed that they did not appreciate the hard work you put in, the time you spent, the thought you applied towards serving someone.  That they didn't provide a big enough reaction (or sometimes you didn't even get a reaction at all, no acknowledgement, and not even a thank you via text).  Sooooo easy to be caught up in this.

Serving and giving to others of your time and talents is what we are supposed to do. (Romans 12:5-8) (Matthew 25:14-30) (Luke 6:38)  Just as we are not supposed to become riled up and angry (Ephesians 4:31).

But good LORD I had to really restrain myself tonight from reacting!  I went out of my way to surprise someone with a thoughtful handmade gift, and one week later still hadn't heard from them that they'd at least received it.  I called them and asked if they'd received it. Their response? "Oh yeah."

Oh yeah!!!! That's it?!?!?! I literally spent an hour arranging this and creating this and left the house early one morning so I could send it. And one week later, I still hadn't heard a peep.

I like being nice. I like doing things for others. I like surprising them and doing things that are tailored for the individual.  I don't do these acts for the "reward" of appreciation, but it's almost a slap in the face when I don't even get a text to say thank you.

What is WRONG with my generation?!  We need to learn some humility, gratitude, and appreciation for others.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18)