Let me just say finals were challenging but I conquered them all with a total of 3 hours of sleep each night. This semester has been one of the challenging yet, especially with my writing intensive class of 10 lab reports, 24 pages each, analyzing engineering x-ray diffraction data over and over and over. One of our classes had 2 reports, 8 presentations and a HUGE final project. My class has jumped through so many hoops to do well this semester and now I am rounding the corner of my last semester senior year. Now I await my final grades which are due this Tuesday.
Analyzing my x-ray diffraction data for my mile long lab reports
Studying feverishly for finals (I didn't move from this spot for 3 days)
Presentations galore!
I have gotten slightly better at public speaking!
More data analysis of XRD (I made this!)
Reverse engineering
The intricate parts right before it blew up. (Really!)
It has made a world of difference to have my sweet Cody here with me in the same city! That was the greatest gift the Lord could have given me. I may not be so lucky this next semester depending on where Cody gets a job. It is so scary thinking of the unknown of where and if I can get a job at the end of May and where Cody will get one and trying to get our jobs in the same place and then trying to get the apartments lined up which take half a year for a wait list. The next 5 months are so uncertain and to be honest a little bit scary hoping everything works out in time for the wedding less than six months away. I know God knows our plans and our path and has for all of our lives, we just have to trust in the Lord and cast our worries on him and just pray we listen correctly and make the choices he wills for us on our path. This past semester Cody was there to give me a hug on rough days, give me a billiards study break, bring me dinner when I have a huge test the next day, and most importantly just being there. It was so difficult for us the first 4 years being 6 hours away when those things were impossible and skype was the only option. Cody is amazing and takes such great care of me and really drove 30 minutes to my apartment and 30 minutes back multiple times just to give me a hug after a long day. He really is a keeper folks. He has my heart! <3
Before I get too far ahead of myself let me give a short recap on Thanksgiving. So for Thanksgiving we ate and ate and ate lol. We had such delicious food and catching up on life! I enjoyed staying up until 3:00am with Cody and his mom, cooking the Thanksgiving food, laughing and making memories. This year I decided to do something really brave, I made my dad's famous mashed potatoes all by myself! And they actually turned out well! I can happily say they were a success and I can finally pass down the family recipe. Next is to master my Nana's divine chocolate cake!
The famous mashed potato pot! (We made 6 pounds of it!)
So after finals were over Cody and I tied up loose ends in Knoxville, wrote and sent the save-the-dates for the wedding and all headed to Martin Tennessee for Cody's college graduation. I cannot believe in am engaged to a college graduate!! It was a little sad I wasn't able to graduate with him like high school but it was such an exciting special day. All of his hard work and effort has paid off and now he has a bachelors degree in History education! The future looks so bright!! College has not been nice to Cody or I so this was such a relief for Cody and a huge sense of freedom.
My heart was literally bursting with pride for this guy!
All 14 of his support group (family) celebrating with a yummy lunch with lots of fellowship. (I took this with my selfie stick Cody got me!!)
Cody getting his picture taken, walking with pride back to his seat.
Class of 700!
Me, Morgan, Granddad, Gigi, and Papa up top.
Nana, Mom, me anxiously waiting for it to start.
Jamie, Miles, Nana W. Nana D. mom, and me.
Me and sis!
What a support group! We love you Cody!!!
Oh and tonight Cody, me, Cody's dad, and Cody's grandparents saw Cody's mom's Christmas performance at their church and it was awesome!!! It really got me in the spirit of Christmas! Jamie sang beautifully and the whole performance was beautiful!
The rest of Christmas break for Cody and I consists of half the time in Knoxville and half of the time in Chattanooga. This coming weekend is my Nana's Christmas in Gatlinburg with the Dyars and also Cody's Nana's Christmas the day after with the Wamacks. It should be an extremely fun weekend kicking off the Christmas festivities! I can't wait to see the craziness at my Nana's Christmas and new memories to make, and the good conversations with Cody's family and board games!
This week Cody and I also start pre-marital counseling with my preacher Ann and we are ecstatic!! I cannot wait to prepare for marriage and start back on wedding planning!! Next post I will be talking about what wedding planning will take place this Christmas break and the Christmas festivities with my other grandparents and my immediate family. (and Cody's) It has been so interesting this Christmas working around the dynamics of being engaged. Its that fun/awkward stage where we are so close to marriage but we aren't married, so living arrangements are still separate but things are more flexible. It is so neat spending Christmas being engaged knowing that this time next year we will be husband and wife!!!!! :D
So I will see everyone later, enjoy the holidays, keep the reason for the season in mind always because it is so easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the holiday to-do's and sometimes stresses. Spend time with family because family time always makes the heart happy and full at peace ready for the next year!!
Not one tree is the same! Just like people!
Happy Holidays everyone, I will be posting again very soon!!
Love,
Kayla Dyar (Raborn)
Wedding Countdown: 175 days!!! (5 months 21 days!!)
P.S.- Cody and I are on day 5 of our weight-loss kickoff challenge! (eating well, less, and working out) We lost 12-17 pounds this past summer and were unable to continue the trend over stressful school and are picking back up to finish the weight loss. I have a dress fitting early January and am slightly in a panic to reach my goals for then.
