Senior Retreat: A Photo Log

 Senior Retreat 2014: Carry the Torch

2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Questions we NEVER tire of hearing

... As long as you never tire of our responses... deal?

So, I just got off a mid-afternoon Skype call with Tim and it was the best. The actual best. A little splash of joy and hilarity in the middle of your day, just what every long distance relationship yearns for. If only it could be a daily occurrence. Anyway, Tim and I got to joking about questions we get asked all too frequently and how we wished we could answer them. I was laughing, so I thought I'd share because that's what blogs are for?

Are you so excited to get married?
Mildly, but I mean it's whatever.

You got in to Boston College, would Rylee go to Boston with you?
I mean yea... we will be married?

The wedding is in August?!?! That's so soon! Have you started planning?
Naw, I just plan on throwing something together the night before.

It's a barn wedding? Do you want to see my pintrest board?
Yuuuusssss. (Who am I kidding I totally do, this sarcasm is a lie)

How will you afford to live in Boston?
Well, what happens when you get a job is you work and they pay you money, you live on that money.

You bought your dress?
Yes.
Do you know what it looks like?
I would hope.
Can I see it?
Well, now that you mention it, I am wearing it under my jeans and sweatshirt so let me get on that.

Oh, you're going out to DC next weekend? Are you going to see Rylee when you're out there?
...

Are you ready to be not long distance anymore?
That's kinda the point.

I apologize for my snarkiness, you don't deserve it. We really do love talking about our preparation for this Vocation, wedding celebration, and the next phase of our lives. We love your questions and curiosity and hope this doesn't make me look like that brat that I am. As a peace offering I give you a picture for this very wordy post while we all day dream of warmer days amongst this spring snow.

Ladies Day and Other Quality Girl Time

Recently my life has been abundantly filled with GTs with my lovely female friends. But seriously, girls nights on girls nights on ladies day on more girls nights. It makes me realize just how blessed I am.  But seriously. It has swarmed me with those cheesy warm and fuzzies all weekend long. When going into my senior year, I was totally concerned with my lack of senior friends. I mean they exist, but at the same time my closest friends tend to be older or younger. I was worried that it would put a few  wah-wah moments in my senior year. Cause, I am a complaining college student who thinks that these are the most important things in life. Sorry for my melodrama.

 

Anyway, get to the point Rylee, which is that I still have these lady frands in my life and it is the absolute best. I thank God that they didn’t leave the district so I can still play with them.  It was the most random weekend with late night birthday ice cream while cuddling on a couch, ladies day with free mimosas at a rugby game(?), girls wine and cheese night complete with a sing-a-long of early 00s hits (like hit clips hits), pryz dropping, Regan Roses crafternoons, Sleepovers with Shan (as per the usual), etc. etc. and on and on.

 

Land the plane: got it. I love the fact that I am surrounded by wonderful, beautiful, confident, and comedic women. It assures me of who I am and of my own femininity. I don’t know, basically I have just learned that it doesn’t matter if I have friends in my grade as long as I have friends that make me happy and build me to be the best me. I guess that seems like a no-brainer but I was able to have that fact hit me over the head and my prayer for y’all is that you have the same, and if you don’t that you will be able to find ‘em. They exist, I promise.

 

((My lack of photo taking this weekend was disappointing, my B. And as always, apologies for the grainy nature of my iPhone 4))

 

 

 

More coming (out of order) on Senior Retreat and Spring Break Shortly. Hold me to that.

Can you ever just be whelmed?

I went home for Valentines Day. It was a bit of a last minute decision but it was so necessary. Air Tran was evil to me but of course, it's Air Tran. I made it to Chicago alive on Friday, the 14th of February, and that was all I could ask for and then some. What every person needs after a day of flying Air Tran is a fiance waiting with surprise reservations at an authentic Italian restaurant with a huge glass of wine. Mostly the man and the wine. Or the wine and the man. Whichever.

I'm a lucky one. I'm a dry red kinda gal, you know just in case you ever pick me up from an airport.

So thanks hun for looking fancy and treating me to a great meal for V-day. Loved re-living the Trastevere days with you.

And we were right in the heart of the city. I love it.

This picture: Magee family kitchen, courtesy of Mama Magee, right before she went to bed.

The rest of the weekend was devoted entirely to wedding planning. Which is still enjoyable because, "On this day I will marry my friend." (GAG). but  it was also a terrifying weekend when I realized how far we still have to go. Our to-do lists only grew that weekend. So it was necessary and oh so overwhelming. It is what it is I guess, because I won't be home again until the end of May. We had cake tastings, church meetings, tux pickings, ceremony run throughs, DJ song choices, and we made lists. And lots of them. If you are planning/ have planned a wedding I hope that you can assure me that this overwhelmedness is not atypical and not to despair because it gets better. I hope. So I went through my phase of indifference, and now I am in a phase of bombardment. I guess I just need to go to Europe when I can be not overwhelmed or underwhelmed, just whelmed.

Also thanks to the people who love and help me through it all, especially my Mama. I couldn't do it without you keeping me sane. And thanks Tim, for reminding me whose team you're on. I love you.

November 1st; A Thought Process

The following is after I finally realized what was going on, after Tim's lie about the prayer service ((See Part One here)). 

Here is my stream of consciousness.

*Please remember that Tim's friend Brigid used her wonderful camera to take these pictures but in the reality it was super, super dark.*

Holy S**t Holy S**t Holy S**t. I mean you knew this was going to happen. Is this really happening though. I think it's happening. No I really think it is.

*Stops Walking*

"Is this for real?" (out loud)

"Keeeeep walking Rylee."- Tim

Yep okay this is definitely happening. I love the Servant Song. He knows I love the Servant Song. He knows I know what this means. He has to know that I know what this means. What am I going to say? Of course yes, but like what else?

We walk into this group of people and all a blur. Who is this? I mean oh it's Sam, hey Sam (he took the umbrella). Okay deep breaths. Focus on your breathing. You love him. This is good. You've been waiting for this. Be happy. Remember every word.

Unfortunately, I don't remember it word for word but I do remember the message in order. The following is a paraphrase from Tim, but after this I don't think I was conscious. There is no stream to report. I know I said yes at the end, or at least I assume I said yes but then again I have no recollection.

*Grabs my hands and HUGE, long breath*

"Rylee, you make me the happiest man in the world. I am so lucky that God put you here. I have known I loved you since I was 17 and known I wanted this for a long time. I am so ready to be with you for the rest of my life. I do not know what will happen in a year. I do not know where I will be. With grad school or anything else, but I do know that I want you with me. I want nothing more than to start a family with you and spend the rest of my life with you."

*and then reach for a pocket and down on a knee*

"Rylee Grace Elizabeth Ann Katie Magee, will you marry me?"

...

Here I must've responded?

*Stands up and whispers*

"Which one is your left hand?"

*Elation, Joy, Love, Emotion, and a Kiss*

*Grasp each other to steady each others heart rates*

Awkward pause because singing is done and it gets really quiet,

*Tim turns and says*

"SHE SAID YES!"

*Excitement and Cheers as we turn to love on the people there. To share that moment.

A huge thank you to everyone who made that weekend truly perfect. Thanks for all the organization, the self-knowledge of leaving when you know you couldn't not spill the beans (Thanks Alex!), for crying for me when I didn't, and a special thanks to everyone who coordinated candles, music, champagne, computers, chairs, umbrellas, etc. etc. etc. You can never fully know how much this meant to us. 

And to our families:

Thanks dad for giving your blessing and for wanting to wait to see the ring until I wore it. And sorry for waking you up to tell you I said yes. But thanks for loving us through your slumber.

Thanks Mom for the excitement. Thanks for providing the love and support we needed to hear, even a thousand miles away. 

Thanks Tor, my MOH, for being out of country but still the first to know. For being my most stubborn supporter, and for knowing the future. Thanks for the opportunity to skype in the next morning and listening to the whole story while we were still so excited to tell it.

Thanks Mads for killing our ears with a scream so loud. It was so good that you were so surprised but thanks for the joy you had, enough joy to share with all around you (who have no idea who we are...).

Thanks Meg for providing one of the more hilarious moments of my life. I sure do hope you did well on your SAT. We love you so much and were so happy you were the second person we told in person. You will always have that over the girls. So congrats. Even if your reaction was combined meanest and most confused.

Thanks Tom and Shay for not understanding anything that was happening and for deciding that whatever it was was not worth waking up for, also for the tears you brought to our eyes when we laughed so hard that we cried because you could. not. wait. to tell us this completely unbelievable dream you had.

Sorry Ry that we couldn't get ahold of you until the next day but thanks for the support, it means so much.

And to Tim's family, thanks for your normal reactions. That was good too. And thanks Judy for being there that weekend, I couldn't imagine it any other way.

Finally, sorry to all the people we called and woke up in the wee hours of the morning and thank you for not being mad but instead jovial to share in our excitement. Or at least faking it ;)

Wintertime

Now that I have taken to binge blogging, I am finally catching up. So here is my catch all post for everything that has happened in the past two months that I never wrote about. Not because these things weren't important but because I have been a complete failure about taking pictures so life is limited ya know?

We went ice skating our first Friday back in DC after Christmas break. (What? I told you I was far behind.) And by we I really mean they. Because you heard it here first, this girl does not ice skate. She just doesn't. Ask Tim how I reacted when he planned our first date to be at an ice skating rink. Go on, ask him. Okay fine, I'll tell you. I just didn't go. 

((Never mind my grainy iPhone 4 photos this post))

Ice skating was at the sculpture garden on the mall and it was very picturesque and most everyone else enjoyed it.

Then there was Meg's Birthday a week later. 

Love the Lyssy's^ and the crew below.

...sorry you were cut out Ant. But I bet this doesn't happen often to ya so no, not really all that sorry. Now you know what it's like to be short and always unable to see...

I love that Max is wearing the light^ and these ladies make up the fab five.

Friends who are twenty-fun.

And then there was Renew day of Recollection at the Shrine of St. Anthony.

That time when Nicole's car broke down on the way to the Super Bowl party and we had a party of our own in the Giant parking lot. A little car trouble wont set us back ya know? And why should it?

The highlight of the Wizards basketball game, the jump roping little nuggs. Seriously best part.

So there we go, back up to speed. No more complaints. I know all four of my followers were readying themselves to riot over this. So riot no more. And enjoy your snow day tomorrow DC.

#WhyWeMarch

This January rounds out my sixth March for Life. And I know in comparison to some (hey Liz...) it's not many but for me this year capped my last one as a DC native. Probably. Its a hugely important cause that always provides me so much hope for our Church and our world. The people are so young and the movement is so alive. It's hard, especially living in DC, to really remember that this is a pilgrimage of worthy and necessary cause and not just another day in the life. The moment of this years march that struck me most was when we walked past the Canadian Embassy. There were about 6 people outside with Canadian flags and a huge sign that read "CANADIANS STAND WITH PRO-LIFE AMERICA." I wish I would have taken a picture. It was cool to hear everyone clapping for them as they cheered for us. It was a moment to remember as people were pointing and telling us to 'look over there, on your left.' That moment truly touched me, and made my eyes wet (no tears rolled my friends but they were there). I guess it was a gentle reminder that I needed. It reminded me why I was there. Not because I have for the past 6 years, or because Tim came for that reason, or because that's what Pro-Life people on campus do, and not even to fan girl over P-Garvs who would be there. But to remember how I am not isolated. I am not only a student at The Catholic University of America, or a resident of DC, or even just an American. I am a daughter of God and that means so much. It means a call to solidarity. It means being with the youth gathered there from all over the country but also aligning that with the world. It means that people will do the same for us (Thanks Canada!). It means defending the most vulnerable who are also sons and daughters of that same God and cannot defend themselves. It is a true act of solidarity, so thanks Matt Maher for starting the March off with the right tone as everyone joined in song, 

"And love will hold us together, Make us a shelter the weather the storm

And I'll be my brother's keeper, So the whole world would know that we're not alone."

So that was a lot, sorry. Here are pictures, does that help?

Here's to coming back for the next 6 years. Maybe more of a pilgrim this time.