We're going to Morocco!!!!

Michael and I just got some great news. After a very long, rigorous, and expensive application process, we have just been invited to serve as Peace Corps Volunteers in Morocco. We have been working towards this goal for a year now and this is a much anticipated result. Our departure date is September 10, 2005 and we will be serving through December 2, 2007. We will both be serving as Youth Developers where our main functions will be teaching English to Moroccan youth and developing programs and activities to promote and support local youth. A main focus of this project is developing programs and activities to help foster education among Moroccan young women, which is very exciting for me. I love teaching and presenting educational information and I love working with youth. This project seems perfect for me. I am so very excited about this opportunity. And what makes it even more perfect is that Michael and I get to do this together. I can't imagine a more perfect way to start a marriage and life together. :) We are both extremely excited and cannot wait to begin this journey together. I do want to thank all of you who have supported us through this process. I really appreciate it.

I've been a blog slacker...

Busy, but fun...That sums up my life lately. I don't even remember what was going on during my last post, so I will tell you all that has been going on. Michael and I went to Amarillo last week and then headed to New Mexico with his family to go camping at Lake Conchos for 3 days. It was so much fun. We played horseshoes, croquet, shot pellet guns, went jumping off big rocks/cliffs into the lake, kayaking, cooked out, slept in tents, played texas hold 'em. It was such a great time. I also got a chance to meet the newest addition to the Lambert family. 3 month old Kylia Jade is Michael's niece. She is adorable and she is a professional projectile vomiter. It was nice to spend some quality fun time with Michael's family. I also got to ride behind his dad on a motorcycle on the highway. That was very exhilarating. I did get a pretty major sunburn that I am still dealing with right now, but it was totally worth it.

My sister's high school graduation party was last night. The party was fantastic. we had such a great time. There was good food, good company, great dancing, much hookah smoking. My sister and her friends all had a great time. The food was catered by Fadi's and it was delicious. I have leftovers to last at least a week. :)

I also got my tooth implant taken care of a few weeks ago. It went very smoothly. The dentist pulled my baby tooth and replaced it with a metal rod. I was under twilight anesthesia and I don't remember a thing. There was also very little pain during the day following the implant. I didn't have to take a single pain pill. YEAH!! I have an appointment with my dentist this friday to get fitted for a crown. The whole ordeal has been quite pricey, but it is worth it if we get to go to Morocco.

Speaking of Morocco, we got an email from our peace corps placement officer this week stating that she is just waiting to hear back from the officials in our country to say they have a job for both of us and then we get the official invitation. she said she should know by the end of this week. The waiting is almost over. YEAH!!!

The wedding plans are still coming along. We got our wedding bands. After a few visits to the jeweler, my band looks amazing and it is a perfect fit with my engagement ring. Michael's ring looks great, but it is a little bit too big, so we need to get it resized. We are also trying to get ourselves registered, so people that don't want to give us money (since we are going to the peace corps, we don't want a lot of stuff to have to store), can have something to get us if they would like to get a gift. Registering when you really don't want anything is quite a tough process. We are trying to decide what things would be good to register for at this time even though we don't plan to use them for a few years. Anyway, I am sure we will figure it out. My aunt came in from Lebanon last week and she is staying through the wedding. It is so great to see her. She brought along with her some samples of the wedding favors. They look so great. My dress alterations are coming along and Michael is working on getting his tux stuff all figured out. We still have a lot to do, but things are coming together well. We have already received many RSVP's for the wedding, which is great. I am so excited.

Well, work is going well. I am still learning some stuff, but it definitely seems like something to just pay the bills until we head out to the peace corps. I cant wait to start this wonderful journey. well, I am sure there is a lot more to fill everyone in on, but that is all I have the energy for right now. I have a cold and a cough and I have lost my voice. I think it was just that I being way too hard on my body right now. Camping, flying, traveling, working, planning the wedding, driving all over the metroplex, and very little sleep. anyway, I am off to rest for a bit. Have a good sunday.

And the waiting continues...

Well, we still haven't heard anything more in regards to our peace corps assignment. We have to wait till the end of the second week in May and then we can call our placement officer again. :)

The wedding plans are still going. We met with my parents and Dr. Cobb (our officiant and professor from UTA) on Saturday and had a great conversation. My parents really liked him, which is a very good thing. Also, my parents read over the ceremony Michael and I came up with and they both loved it. Another great thing. :) Also, we stuffed the invitations on Saturday, so hopefully we can get those all sent out this week.

On to the not so good things about the wedding planning. We picked up my dress on Saturday and we need to get it altered a bit. It looks great, but there are a few changes that need to be made. I found this lady who does alterations in one of those community wedding books. So, we met with her on saturday at her apartment where she works from. at best, it was a really crappy meeting. :) Her apartment was very small and super cluttered with all kinds of dresses and random crap. She was very rude and abrupt. She kept grabbing my shoulders and turning me around. I was not impressed at all. Then, she quoted us a pretty outrageos price. So, we are meeting with a friend of my mom's this afternoon who owns an alteration shop in Lewisville. She said she has done bridal alterations in the past and her prices seem much more reasonable. Wish me luck. I would really like to get this alterations process underway. Other than that, all the wedding stuff is really falling into place. There is still a lot to do, but Michael and i are both very excited.

Another not so good piece of news is that my cousins, Maria and Myrna, from Lebabnon were not able to get their Visas. My mom is looking into contacting someone here who can help us out. It really sucks. They were asked all kinds of crappy questions when they tried to get their visas. This is not new information at all, but i am not impressed with america's foreign affairs. Anyway, we are going to do our best from here to see if we can help.

In other news, my sister is gearing up for her high school graduation. My mom and dad are throwing her a big party. I am so excited. I am also so very proud of her. She is going to UT at Austin next year. Go Longhorns!!