It's funny how everyone keeps asking me how I am. I think everyone is expecting my head to spin off or something. Strangely, I feel exactly the opposite. The closer I get to May 19th, the more calm and excited I feel. I think it is Keith who will suffer from head loss. He is starting to get more and more stressed, poor guy! My Tutu, my mother's mother, has been one of my constant sources of sanity through this process. Every month she has sent me words of wisdom for my marriage. I recently wrote her a little note to ensure her that I was not losing my mind. I told her that I am heavy with anticipation like a caterpillar waiting to emerge as a butterfly. And there are small tears in my cocoon where I can already see the sun and it is wonderfully calming to know I am almost out. Not that wedding planning has been an awful experience. I have fully enjoyed planning all the fine details of this most splendid of days in my life, but I am ready to attend the celebration, start focusing on our lives together and creating this spectacular marriage.

    One of my most wonderful wedding experiences occurred this month. My dear, sweet bridesmaids gave me a surprise shower and a bachelorette party all in the same day. It wasn't a total surprise, which was a disappointment to them and made me feel bad, but the overwhelming sense of love and support was. The cover was a communion party for my friend Kendra's little sister. Keith escorted me there and watched as I went around to hug and kiss so many of the women that have had significant impact on my life. Every stage of my life was represented in that room. My mother and my sister represented my childhood while my friends and mentors from work represented my current "adult" life. Everyone got along beautifully and shared stories about Keith and I from all of those different stages of our lives. It was emotionally overwhelming. I was very surprised to learn that being the center of attention and opening so many gifts in front of all of those loving eyes is an incredibly difficult thing to do. I am a very extroverted person and comfortable in almost any situation so I was amazed at how two hours of wrapping paper and spouting witty reactions could wear me out. It was also frustrating that I really could not sit down and catch up with everyone one on one. Many of these women I see everyday, but some of them I rarely get to see at all. I got my first taste of how it will at the wedding. With almost 200 guests attending, it will be impossible for Keith and I to really sit down and catch up with everyone at the wedding. All we can hope is that we will at least get to give everyone a hug and hopefully a few twirls on the dance floor.

    So, I think I'll keep this short and sweet. The fine details that are left for the wedding will all come together beautifully. We are praying for sun so that our guests are comfortable in the beautiful May sunshine surrounded by grape vines and rolling hills. You won't hear from me at the beginning of June because I will still be on my honeymoon in the Tahitian Islands, but rest assured that my recap of the wedding and the honeymoon will be in the July newsletter written as Christine Carroll Tobias. And, since this is the last article I will be writing as Christine Carroll, I would like to write a little dedication to my husband-to-be. He has been an avid fan of my articles and is the sole reason that I have been given the opportunity to write them.