Getting Married : Studying Abroad

So, what does it feel like to be getting married in a week and a half...11 days...264 hours...15840 minutes...

First of all, let me say that I don't actually have the countdown in hours and minutes...Weeks and days? Yes. And soon to be only days...yes! I just thought I'd do some quick math for a little fun!

But what does it feel like to know that I'm getting married and making the biggest decision of my life soooooo soon??? Well, actually it feels very surreal. Randall & I were talking last night and it feels like it hasn't totally sunk in. I mean, yes, I'M EXCITED! Yes, I know that this is a very big deal. Yes, I know that my life is about to change forever in a very big way.

It's kinda funny though because I've been excited since our first date...I've known that getting into a relationship at this point in my life was a very big deal...I knew that no matter what happened with Randall & I's dating relationship, that my life would change because of him. So, I'm not exactly sure what feels surreal...I finally get to wear the white dress that I've dreamed of wearing since I was a little girl, I finally get to walk down the aisle on my daddy's arm, I finally get to stand up before God and my family and friends and make a commitment to my best friend that isn't an easy one to keep. And I'm excited about that. I'm excited about the challenge that marriage will be. Maybe the surreal part is finally reaching this monumental goal that you've dreamed about your whole life....

Okay, so maybe it's kinda like when I was studying abroad in Spain and Argentina...I knew that my time there was changing me in big ways, that I was making memories and friends that would last a lifetime, that I was learning a new language that was challenging and didn't always make sense. It's like when you're living in a moment that you know is so big for you as a person and for the direction of the rest of your life, that moment is surreal. So, it's the same thing with getting married...I know that my time with Randall now and forever has and will continue to change me in big ways, that I will be making memories on February 21 and for many days after with the people most important to me, and that I have been and will continue to learn a new, challenging and sometimes confusing language - the language of love.

It's so cool because I never thought of this metaphor before...it just suddenly came to me.

Studying abroad : Language Learning as Getting Married : Love Learning

I don't know if that's a correct little word puzzle. I was never good at those on the SATs, but I know my analogy works. It's like the light bulb just went on in my head. It feels surreal and really happy and joyous and buzzing with excitement all at the same time because it is this major landmark of life. And this is probably one of just many (hopefully) exciting landmarks to come in the life of Anna & Randall.

So, there.

That's how it feels to be getting married in 11 days. It feels like studying abroad.

Disclaimer: The analogy is not to say that getting married is as temporary or superfluous as studying abroad. It's to say that getting married is about big changes and challenges just like studying abroad.

...maybe I'll write more about learning a second language and learning the language of love later...could be an interesting topic to explore especially with my newfound career path...