Slowing Down--and being okay with that

I realized something last night. I'm kind of tired. Ok, really tired. I thought about it and realized I feel essentially the way I've felt at the end of each quarter of school, before a vacation, which is where we're at--ending week 10, finals week starting Monday. Except I don't get a vacation--instead I'm about to enter one of the busiest and emotionally involved weeks of my life! I've been racing around like a crazy-person all week, with all the things I've determined HAVE to get done before I head to Minnesota on Monday, and I've been doing great getting things crossed off the list. However, I am exhausted now. I think part of it is more mental than physical, just constantly having a million details racing around in my brain. Like yesterday by 9:30 AM I had made the little tents that go on the tables to tell people what table they are sitting at, and had printed Psalms on pretty paper to go on each table with the table tent. This morning, it's 10:15, and I'm still on my couch, in my PJs, drinking coffee, having done nothing "productive" yet. And I'm ok with that. Chuck helped me realize last night that I don't have to finish everything on my list before leaving on Monday, the world isn't going to fall apart if my entire apartment is not packed. I'll do what I can, but we really do have time when we get back. Plus, it's probably good for the control-freak in me to force myself to let others actually help me. So I think the programs will be saved for Minnesota--I'll let my girls help me assemble them, unless I just get bored this weekend while Chuck is studying!

I have been SO blessed though by so many people this week, checking in , offering help, prayers, support. Yesterday a girl in my class who I don't even know that well showed up with a chai for me in class, saying she knows I drink one in class a lot and she thought I might want one as I'm probably a little tired these days! Last night I made myself take time out and go to a book club I'd been invited to, which was SUCH a gift! I didn't really know these women very well--they are all from Glendale Pres, our new church, and a couple from Fuller, but I decided this would be a great way to get to know some women my age in our new church. It was an amazing time--we're reading Traveling Mercies, one of my favorite books, and we gathered, ate dinner together, drank sangria, and shared our thoughts about the book, faith, life, and then we talked a lot about marriage, weddings, sex :) and life. Two of the women are married and they had great tips for me heading into our honeymoon :) Then, they ended our time together by all praying over me, which was amazing! I'd only met a few of them that night, but they all prayed, which was SUCH a gift!

I am so excited about next week, but am also realizing that saying "yes" to so many new things means having to take some space to actually acknowledge that I am having to grieve or say goodbye to some things--like my name, my own apartment, my singleness-which is all I've ever known, plus now I'm saying goodbye to Fuller too--I finish my last class tonight. I've had some great friends just recognize that I have a LOT of transitions coming up and have been awesome about giving me support as I move forward.

And, one more random photo--Jenn sent me a paper chain countdown for us awhile ago, and look how short it is now!