So I was looking online at wedding registeries and I'm amazed- Jonathan and I both fell in love with the same sheet set!!! I just hope that it hangs around until we get married haha :) It's B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L.

Today was the final straw and I am so ready to come home.  I'm ready to walk outside in the pouring rain, get in my dry car w/out other wet people around me, go where I need to go, and well, stay relatively dry... Today I walked outside and it was POURING rain, walked the 6 blocks to the bus, waited 10 min. or so for the bus, then got on where there were tons of other people, angry and frustrated and wet, then when i got off, walked another 2 blocks-ish... Yes, I had an umbrella, but my feet were soaked, the bottom of my skirt, my bag, and sides of my arms, etc.

Aside from that, Jonathan and I talked wedding stuff last night- honeymoon spots and hotels for out-of-town guests. It makes me excited to plan all of this!!! And it's almost time for me to go home, so I can get busy on everything else! Can you tell I'm excited heehee?? Wow, I love being in love. JOnathan is the greatest thing to have happened to me and I can't thank God enough.

WOW! I leave a week from Sat. to come home! I can't believe it. Last night, I went out to dinner w/ my cousin again (Grand Lux- YUM!) and it was weird telling him goodbye, like we won't be hanging out again, at least for a while. Then I went to see The Devil Wears Prada w/ Lydia and Holly. I almost wanted to cry when I said goodbye. Hopefully I'll be able to see Lydia again (especially since I have to return her DVD and book) but still, i'm so sad, starting to say goodbyes and all. Plus, I'm talking to my boss about getting a letter of recommendation and putting all the stuff I did on letterhead so I can get my portfolio done. I wrote my 8-9 page paper for my internship class part, just need to edit it, sent my mom her tickets and CTA pass and parking permit and directions and I'm just getting everything wrapped up. I'm going to Geneva this weekend (one of the burbs) to spend sat and sun. with my grandmother's best friend and her husband and daughter, so that should be nice. I just can't believe this is about to be my last weekend! I'm seriously sad. :(

Okay, so today at work, Kristin was incredibly shocked at the differences still in the north and the south. For example, she finds it crazy that I'm getting married "so young" and I told her a lot of people I know get married at this age, if not, younger. I also told her told her that honestly, I'd still wear a skirt suit to an interview instead of a pants suit, especially in the south, and she was shocked. She said it amazed her that the "feminist movement" hadn't really reached the south yet. I guess it hasn't... But that brings me to my question. Is the "feminist movement" bad? I dont mean the bra burning feminism, I mean the wanting to be independent, wanting to have a career, a good time in life.. what do ya'll think?

Today, I feel like writing. I have a lot on my mind.  Mainly, growing up.

I’m beginning to look and apply for jobs, for when I get back to Jax., and for one in SC. It’s nerve racking and scary. I’m no longer applying for secretary jobs, etc., but rather public relations jobs or event planning ones. Also, I will be home in 18 days! But who’s counting?? I’m so happy, yet soooo sad. I LOVE Chicago, minus the public transportation. It’s great here and I’m so glad I got to experience it. Working has been great and I’ve learned so much. Being a tourist of sorts has been a blast too. Lydia, Kristin, Rita, they’re all incredible and I’m going to miss them so much. I’m trying to get everything together for leaving here and getting back to Jax. Getting a parking permit for my mom, Tut tickets for her and Katie, figuring out how to pack everything up, working on my portfolio, trying to get letters of recommendation and copies of everything I did here, trying to apply for jobs, trying to make plans for the week I get back, trying to figure out how they’ll all happen without a car, etc., etc. Plus there’s wedding/future stuff. Jonathan and I are in the process of making some big decisions. Today I signed us up for our pre-marriage counseling. I’m excited about that. We’ve also been looking into some devotions and stuff, and I’m trying to gather info for starting a young couples thing at the church when we get married, which I’m very excited about as well. We’ve also been doing some talking about our future (good if we’re getting married right?) and the military and religion (Ugh, the convos I despise!) I have to say, God has really blessed me with Jonathan. He knows me so well and understands me, understands what I need and how I work, etc. He understands my faults and my weaknesses, and yet still loves me through it all. But I’m sure ya’ll don’t care about that (ya’ll= the one thing that manages to give away the fact that I’m from FL) I’ve also been thinking a lot more about marriage plans, getting everything worked out, and how it’s going to be rough that Jonathan will be gone Sept-Jan. I can’t wait to get back and go shopping for my dress, and for my bridesmaids dresses ;-) But then again, I will have to wait… I’m going out of town Aug. 6-18, then our marriage counseling stuff is Aug. 18-20, then I’ll either start a new job or, well, hopefully I’ll start a new job, and start back to school Aug. 28. Wow… Okay, now I have to get some work done. Love to all!!!

Well, Wed. I got to go to the Taste of Chicago w/ work so I could put "TUT-toos" (King Tut Tattoos) on kids. ..They block off several streets, and all of these restaurants line the street. You buy tickets and sample food from all the restaurants. You can get like a normal size portion for like 6-9 tickets or a "taste" portion from any of them for 3. I was given 22 tickets through work, so got crab cakes, some chesse bread, pizza, something else (I dont remember haha) and this DELICIOUS turtle cheesecake w/ icecream on it. Oh it was so good! Fri. I felt really sick (sinus cold) and came home, watched several episodes of House and just went ot sleep. Then yesterday, Lydia and I did a train tour on the El, it was 40 min. and it talked about the history of Chicago and went around the Loop and pointed out bldgs and talked about htem. Then we went to The Freedom Museum- it's created by the Chicago Tribune Newspaper and it's all about the first amendment freedom of speech, press, assembly, etc. It was really cool. In fact, they had a flag from the 9/11. Some were saying it needed to be burnt, some said that it was an important part of our history. Well, now it's in this musuem and they burnt a small corner of it in one of the flag burning ceremonies. very interesting. We also went to this museum that's on the Chicago River and got to see the history of how they turned the river around, so it flowed the other way - all the city's sewage was flowing into Lake Mich. and polluting the water- and see the gears and stuff for raising the bridge. Then we ate lunch and went on an architectural boat tour. It was an hour on the CHicago River, and they pointed out all the bldgs on the river, why they were built, who built them, the funny things about them., etc. For example, one has a statue of a woman on it, but she ahs no face- when it came itme to put her on top of the bldg, the artist wasnt done w/ her face, but the architect said it was okay, there'd nnever be another bldg in Chicao as tall as that one- now there are several, and they can see the woman statue has no face. Another example was this man was an architect over this bldg and was engaged and his fiance died, so the top of the bldg looks like her ring, a big diamond and 2 smaller stones on each side, so that when she looked down from heaven, she'd see it and know he was thinking of her or whatever and it's cool because you can see it from the Hancock Bldg and the Sears Tower and they light it up with white lights at night. That tour was VERY interesting. Then i went to church last night, came home, watchted Dirty Dancing Havanna Nights- very good, and went to sleep...today, we got in Lydia's car and drove to different parts of town, like Greek Town, Old Town, etc. Then we went to Gino's Pizza for linner- yum yum. Anyway, that's about everything I guess. Just thought I'd try and update on my weekend plans. I haven't posted my pics b/c I'm too tired. I might later.

Oh my! I had an incredible weekend! It was so awesome to see my Jonny. I've missed him so bad! It's amazing how when you're away from the one you love for so long, you forget about the little things. Well, not forget, but appreciate them more when you get them. Like, his eyes... I seriously missed looking into them, his touch, holding his hand, our special ways we have between us, his cooking for me (yes, he's a much better cook than me, but he's teaching me :)). One of my favorties was getting off the plane, I ran to him, and then he was like "I have something for you"... he had bought me a diet coke because he knew I'd want one. To me, that was so special, and just showed how much he knows me, even though it may be stupid to others. I also enjoyed being at the BBQ last night, watching all the guys play cornhole, the girls sitting chatting, and I'm sitting with them, not chatting, rather, absolutely lost and watching Jon at the grill being the famous "grill master" There was just something about seeing him there. He's so incredible. He knows me so well. I love him so much and couldn't have asked for a better man than Jonathan. I know ya'll probably don't care, but if you've been in love, and ever away from your loved one for a 2 month period, you'd understand... man, I'm going to have a HARD TIME when he goes over seas!!! :'(

Last night, at 9 pm, Jon bought me a ticket for 9 am this morning to come see him, so I'm in SC until July 4! So, no updates... just spending time with my man! And sooo happy!