I received an email today that said, "GradImages is proud to be your school's official event photographer. We understand how excited you and your family must be on your recent accomplishment. Click on the button below to view and order all your photos from the ceremony."

So I clicked below on the link to their website (which I am not including so that no one can order this for me). And there was only one photo on the website under my name...

Take it all in. Stare at the beauty of this glorious photo. How did anyone ever think I would want to order a copy of this?!? Scroll back up and look at it again. Isn't it wonderful?!? Wow, that is scary. ha ha ha. This is possibly the worst photo of myself that I have ever seen.

Last Thursday night I spent in Silver Spring because I had to be at graduation the next morning at 8:00am. I did not want to drive up by myself Wednesday night and my Dad kindly offered to drive me and spend the night at 9501 with me. I was pretty happy about having a driver and someone to stay with me because the Grandi's house can make very strange noises at night and it always sounds like someone is walking around downstairs or creeping up the staircase. Plus, the doors shake when the wind blows and it still startles me. I didn't realize how happy I was that someone was staying with me until I woke up Friday morning and realized that I had slept the entire night quite soundly. I felt like I had had such a great night sleep. I usually don't feel very rested when I have to stay by myself. It was so wonderful to wake up and feel completely safe and rested. I love my Dad. He was so sweet to drive me up to Silver Spring late at night and keep me company on the two and a half hour drive. He is great. I feel so loved and taken care of.

EDIT: Thursday, May 28, 2009
I would also like to thank my Dad for driving me up to my lasik surgery today and driving me back. He was so sweet and took care of me all day. He made sure I was well fed and that I got sleep and that I put in the right eye drops at the right time. I thank God for giving me such a loving and caring father. I love him very much. Thanks Dad for spending so much time with me. :)

I turned in my last paper and took my last final today.

I am finished graduate school.

I cannot even begin to express how excited I am. I nearly danced out of the door of my classroom where I took my last final. It was all I could do to keep from laughing and cheering. All of my graduate student friends are so jealous that I finished in a year; no on finishes a graduate degree in only a year at Maryland (unless you are crazy determined to marry Jared this year and not next year). By the grace of God I survived and now I can start with fun stuff like visiting Michelle this weekend, going to La Tolteca on Thursday, planning my wedding, and spending lots of time with Jared and my family.

la la la

I forgot to post these this weekend. These are the books I read in April:

* Humility - C.J. Mahaney
* The Mystery of Marriage
* The Awakening
* This Momentary Marriage - John Piper

I haven't started any for May yet because I have been so busy. I guess I will read all four books in the second half of the month. This year I am 13 books in 4 months. Woohoo!! I can't believe I have made it four months so far. :) Oh, and all my paperwork for graduation is in. Now I just have to pass my three classes, write another 5000 word paper (I have 2500 words written so far), make two powerpoint presentations, give two powerpoint presentations, do two sets of homework, grade two sets of labs (48 labs), and a final. Sigh. School is almost finished!! It is wonderful. I can't wait!!!!!

My final paper is off to Jared for proof reading. It will be bound and on my professors desk by Monday evening, Lord willing and the creek don't rise. :) YES!! I am off to go start my next paper and write some answers to my homework questions.

stats:
(because I would care about things like this... numbers are cool!!)
* 61 pages (not including the references, table of content, executive summary, title pages, etc)
* 209 paragraphs
* 1013 lines
* 10057 words
* 50304 characters (which means my average word length is more than 5 letters long)
* created January 13th
* first draft finished April 25th


To finish before graduation (countdown):
* three sets of homework
* one final to take
* a ten page single-spaced paper (6000 words)
* two powerpoint presentations
* two different labs to grade (48 labs in total)
* fifteen classes, 1125 minutes of class (18 hours and 45 minutes)
* one final to proctor
* one final to grade


27 days until graduation!
32 to perfect vision!!
77 days (11 weeks) until marriage!!!!!!

And happy 43rd month anniversary, Jared!! It has been a wonderful 43 months. I love you, dearly!

I miss being a part of Jared's life.

In the past two days I have written 7 pages of my research paper for graduation. That brings my total up to 18 pages (or 36 pages once I double space it). Double spacing the paper is one of the most exciting parts. I keep waiting to do it closer to the end so it will be so exciting. Woohoo. Last night I called Jared and, while he was marking up a copy of a new blueprint for a job he is starting soon, I marked up lab reports, highlighted useful sections of journal papers, and wrote a few sentences here and there for my paper. It was just nice to hear his voice every so often while I was working. I look forward to just BEING in the SAME place as he is. That will be so nice. Being apart for three years has been rough. Sigh. I am tired of it.

I look forward to missing Jared and realizing that all I have to do is walk into the next room to see him. I want to hear his wonderful sweet voice singing and whistling around the house. On tiring days full of mundane work I want to be able to see his smile, hear his laugh, and feel his warm hand in mine telling me that everything is going to be okay. I want to be able to eat dinner together instead of listening to each other describe our meals over speakerphone. On rainy days I want to just sit home and accomplish stuff around the house. When he gardens and fixes things around the house I want to be able to stick my head out the back door and tell him I love him. I just want to experience life in the same dimension and place as the person that I love the most!! I miss being a part of his life and I miss him being part of my world.

Being married will be wonderful and no one can convince me otherwise!

God willing, I am:

* 43 days away from graduation

* 49 days away from perfect vision!!

* 93 days away from being Jared's little wife!


I scheduled my lasik surgery today. Sweet. I am having it done with the guy who did Tiger Wood's eyes. heh. He is really awesome. I met with him today and he is one of the nicest doctors that I have ever had to interact with. So happy! God is good. I'm very excited!

I have a lot of countdowns going on right now:
(God willing I will get to enjoy them all)

3 days until Germany with Sarah.

8 days until England with Sarah.

73 days until Graduate Graduation.

105 days until I turn 23.

111 days until I have been engaged for a year to Jared!

123 days until I marry my best friend, get to move into my own cute little house with Jared, and have my first kiss.