I babysit Jewish children!

About a week ago, my mom called to inform me that I must go to Biola's bookstore on Thursday, March 25th between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. in order to purchase my graduation announcements and a cap and gown. After a brief pause, I said, "Oh, I forgot I was graduating." In the all-consuming importance of planning a WEDDING and anticipating MARRIAGE, the celebration of my extremely hard-earned college degree almost got overlooked. Not anymore. Tonight I went to the bookstore and purchased the ridiculously over-priced announcements (which I am looking at as a financial investment, and hoping they will bring in more than I paid for them in the form of congratulatory gifts...) as well as my cap and tassel. I didn't need to procure a gown, since I am going to wear Sarah's. The more I think about it, the happier I am that I am wearing Sarah's gown, it is a small, but important, link to the class that I came in with, and to all of my dear friends with whom I went through college but did not get to graduate. All that to say, now I am feeling really excited about graduation!

I am also feeling really excited about my wedding. Priscilla of Boston called me yesterday to tell me that my shoes and my veil are both (finally) in, and will be shipped to me immediately. This means they either arrived today (I haven't gone home yet to check) or tomorrow! In the midst of the sheer mayhem of wedding planning, it is comforting to know that my wedding garb is taken care of. Everything else might go wrong, but my dress, veil, and shoes are perfect, and thus, I must conclude, the day will be perfect. Also, Sean will be there.

And thanks to Biola's Career Expo which I attended this morning, I am even feeling slightly encouraged about my working status and professional life after college. I might actually get a job that I like and am good at!

But if it all falls through, I know that I still have babysitting...at least for the next few years until it just gets too weird to have a thirty-something woman coming to your house to take care of your kids. I babysat Claire and Nicholas for 7 hours today, and when I left, I had the bouyant realization, "That was easy...and fun." Seven hours of technically hard work, and it flew by, and I enjoyed myself. That is a true sign that I am doing something that I love. I also found out that Claire and Nicholas are a quarter Jewish. For those of you who truly know me, you know how much this means to me. If it was possible, and I highly doubt it that it is, I adore those kids even more now. I spent the day regarding them with nothing short of great awe...Holding Nicholas and thinking, "I am holding a quarter Jewish child..." or feeding Claire lunch and thinking, "I am feeding a child who is a quarter Jewish!" When Claire went down for her nap this afternoon, I got a lot of one on one time with Nicholas, who is almost 9 months old. My mind started to drift (as it normally does) to Harry Potter, so I started telling Nicholas, "You're just a little bit younger than Harry was when he survived/defeated Voldemort for the first time..." I hope his dad wasn't listening too closely from the next room.