I just laid in my room for like 5 minutes processing and figuring out what to do first, so I tried to call my momma like 3 times. So then I walked outside and told my daddy; he wasn't too happy! Finally my momma called me back and I was able to tell her! :) She was excited!! The next thing I did was text Erin because I needed her to be the first person other than my parents to know! Then, I sent April a text because she was the second person I wanted to know (and my \a is awake early AND I knew she would be excited!). So I started getting ready for my day (getting stuff together for Tusc., etc.). April called me and she was SO EXCITED with me and I was so excited that she was excited with me. I finished getting ready for work and then headed out!
**I think it is important to say here that I had a peaceful feeling all morning about this. I was really afraid that I would be scared and anxious and confused and conflicted and/or upset when I finally got the email, but God just granted me His peace that surpasses all understanding. I was also excited to get to Tuscaloosa and be excited with April and others.**
On the way to work I called Mrs. Malissa to tell her and she was SOOO excited with me, but I made her promise not to tell anyone. However, I did let her tell Dr. Tingle, but I didn't want to her to tell Dr. Hernandez-Reif. I was so grateful to Mrs. Malissa for being so excited with me!!! I also talked to Mike and he was equally excited for me!! There were just some people I didn't want to find out over facebook and he was definitely one of them.
When I got there, April was so excited with me and it was good to hug her and be excited. April was so sweet to let me get ready at her house and hang out with her before the reception. April is also too much and gave me the prettiest pink Gerber Daisies. She also googled how to write the card in Italian!! She is such a sweet, beautiful, and all around wonderful friend! Before I left April was so sweet to take a picture of me wearing my new dress, which I was so excited about (and did find cute flat shoes to go with it...yay!) and then I was off to the reception. 
I just walked there (the convenience of \a living in the rental house!) and when I got there she was the first face I really saw and I was so excited to hug her and talk to her! I got signed in and got a name tag and then we just started catching up! They encouraged us to eat, but we didn't! So then the man in charge got our attention and got the night started. He introduced the interim President, Dr. Judy Bonner (who was a little late) who expressed her joy to be there and how proud of us she was and how great these things are for UA. We then had to go through the list of attendees that were there and we each had to say our names and thank our references/professors that supported us in the process. I was nervous...I didn't want to say anything at the mic. However, after the smarty pants who are Rhodes Scholar finalist and other things, it was the Fulbright group's turn. All the people ahead of me thanked like a million people and talked about endless essay re-writes and how their professors had proofread their essays a million times and at crazy hours and at the last minute. :/ When it was finally my turn I thanked Maurizio and Barbara for helping me fall in love with the Italian language/culture (and stalled on their names...ick...embarassing); I thanked Dr. Hall for his wonderful recommendation letter and for guiding me through undergrad. Then I just looked at Maria and in my mind I was thinking, "how do I thank her again? I am grateful to her for so much, how do I squeeze it in in just a few seconds." So, I just said that I was also grateful to Dr. Hernandez-Reif who I think knows how much I appreciate her and without whom I would not have made it through graduate school. Which is SOOO true, though she denies it! So the rest of the reception was really good! We never ate, but just stood and talked! It was great to just be able to talk to Maria and catch up! We covered all sorts of topics and I just enjoyed it! So then she was so sweet to drive me back to April's house even though she lives so close!! She was so sweet to just share in my excitement with me and she is always so encouraging and I just love her!
So when I got out of the car, Matthew was there to greet me. Sweet little Matthew; he wanted to know if my car was in fact, my car and he followed me to the door and went in with me! I caught April up the reception and stuff and then she was so sweet to let me eat dinner with her and Mark! So, we had good wine, vegetable soup, and cornbread! I love my \a and Mark too! Such a cutie cute couple and so sweet to me!!
THEN I went to Mrs. Malissa's house where I was sooo excited to give her a hug! She and Damon were also very sweet to share in my excitement! We just spent the evening catching up and talking!! It was perfect!!! Then, we went to bed!! I got up early on Tuesday morning so that I could go see Heather and all of my friends at the Children's Program.
I ran into Ms. Susan before I made it to the CP and she was excited and proud! First, I went to Heather and she was excited!! The only bummer part was when i told her she would have to get someone with an iPhone to sign onto skype and let me watch her walk down the aisle. She wasn't sure why and then it hit her that I'll be in Italy for her wedding (May 4, 2013)! I have the best friends though because they have all been so supportive and loving!! Kelly came in after a while and gave me a hug and then I went to talk to her some! I was able to tell Mrs. Robin (after she informed me that she had contacted some people in Birmingham and they didn't have any jobs...DUH because God has been closing those doors in order to open Italy's door and to make me CERTAIN that it is where I am supposed to be). Then I shared with Mike Beers, Courtney, Jessy, Alison, Ms. Gale, Ms. Shannon, and EVERYONE was so sweet and encouraging and excited with me!! Christy and Lois were excited with me! It was just so amazing to tell so many people that I know and love and to have them be excited with me!!! It really means so much to me!!
Upstairs, I was able to talk to Dr. Tingle (about contacting the IMB, about how she could get money from the Dean for her and Mrs. Malissa to come visit...haha, we'll see, etc. etc), Dr. Scofield, and I emailed Dr. Stanfield, Maurizio and Barbara, and called Dr. Hall. I saw Maria briefly and got a good hug and showed her my beautiful flowers that april gave me!! I also got to hang out with April for a bit, which is always nice!! After all of this, I felt like I could put it on facebook! Everyone was so sweet and supportive...I had something crazy like 85 "likes" and like 30 comments over all and I am just so grateful for the love and support!! Then, I went to lunch with Ms. Sally and she was so encouraging and supportive. I really enjoyed spending time with her! When we got back I went and talked to Meredith and Shana (and Meredith already knew and couldn't hide it...haha), but they were sweet and excited! Then I talked to Meredith for a little while and then went upstairs!
Later I went out with my \a to the UPS store and to get her a yummy banana split milkshake. We sat in the car and talked for a little bit and I had a mini crying moment, but it was good to get out of my system because it had been building up!! After that I went and saw Kelly for a bit, and then I ran upstairs and told Mrs. Malissa bye and stuff.
I came back to Birmingham and went to the "pot" part with my momma and the ladies group! They were all SO excited about the Fulbright and were just so sweet and encouraging (the theme of the day and Monday). We had great food and a good time!
I cannot say enough how much it has meant to me to have so many supporting, encouraging, loving, and excited friends. I do not believe any of them (except April, my momma, and Frances) when they say they are coming to visit me, but that doesn't matter!! If they will just email, call, skype, and write letters to me, then I'll be just fine!!!
Thursday was a good day for Fulbright stuff too! Wednesday night I emailed the foreign language teacher at UAB about an Italian tutor and he answered me first thing Thursday morning saying that he could tutor me or offer me another name. Thursday, I also emailed the International Mission Board about finding missionary contact info/churches in Italy and they emailed me back within an hour with two very helpful websites!! God is so good and I am just amazed at the peace He has given me about this whole situation and how He just continues to open doors and make the pathway clear for this wonderful opportunity. The peace that surpasses all understanding is just amazing!! I prayed that He would make the choice clear and obvious and He has!!! I just cannot say enough how good He is...how loving...how forgiving...how merciful...how gracious...so faithful!!
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