The Beginning of the End

So it begins, the end-of-the-year festivities. Right now I'm totally bogged down with all my little part-time jobs since they are all due either today or tomorrow, and I am hostessing another wedding this weekend. But on top of all that, we've begun the season of parties celebrating the end of the semester.

You know how in high school and college everything you did your Senior year was your "last" fill-in-the-blank event? "Oh, this is the *last* football game, or the *last* sorority formal, or the *last* time I'll eat in this cafeteria, etc..." And you get all sappy about it? Well it seems in seminary, because you are close to so many people, no mater where they are on their journey, you get to experience these *last* events along with the Seniors because you know it will be the *last* time you'll get to be there with them. Make sense? Maybe not.

It all started with Group Spiritual Direction on Tuesday night. They do this end of the year Eucharist that is so touching and emotional, it just about wrung me out. Then Wednesday morning we had our last Women's Bible Study of the year and there are a good number of Seniors there, so that was emotional and bittersweet too. After Bible Study a lot of us (10 adults) and our kids (17!) went out to lunch. Thank goodness the Pizza Hut in Monteagle, TN is not very crowded! Last night we had our end of the year dinner for the outgoing PMO teachers and board members. It was really nice and we were all so happy to be able to go out sans kids and husbands and enjoy some yummy Italian food and a glass of wine, and we promised each other beforehand we would NOT get emotional because we were worn out.

Tonight is the *last* Community Eucharist and dinner for the year and then the fun really begins...tomorrow I have a meeting with the bride, the wedding rehearsal, and the Rising Middler dinner party. Saturday is the wedding and a party for the whole seminary at a Senior's house. I'm not even going to go into next week, but let me just say that we have 2 graduation parties, an end-of-the-year PMO performance, seminary graduation, a ceremony and Eucharist for children leaving the mountain, and oh yeah, it's Mother's Day...

Phew, I think I'll go take a nap while I can because I'm not really sure where sleep fits into this schedule. But as we say in Atlanta, "It's ALL good!" Sorry for the words-only post, I'll try and stop in with some pictures soon.