Drained

I'm physically and emotionally pooped from this weekend. But it was all good. Usually when I have a negative attitude towards something, it turns out to be really good. This past weekend we attended the Catholic Engagement Encounter. This was one of those instances where I was negative and it turned out wonderfully. Lots of people told me that it wasn't so bad and then there were others that said it was a waste. As we pulled into the Spiritual Renewal Center we caravaned behind several other cars that were creeping along. No one was in a rush to get there. We both wanted to turn around and go back home. However, we already forked over the $200 and definitely want to get married, so we stayed. We walked into the check-in room where we immediately had a huge sigh of relief. There were only a handful of couples that had already checked in so there were lots of nametags laying out on a table. Just glancing through them I knew lots of couples. Nick only knew one other couple from Wharton. We both were glad that we knew someone there. We both went to the car to get our bags so we could claim our beds. My dorm was Jerusalem. Another sigh of relief when I walked in and found one set of bunk beds, one double bed, and no one in the room! Thank goodness it was not one cabin full of bunks. I claimed the big bed since I was there first. The next nerve-racking thing was to see who my roomies would be. All I can say is poor Nick. He had the two biggest thugs there as his roomies. I only had one roomie, one of the thugs fiances. Neither one of them would talk to us. You hate to be judgmental at a church camp, but we were! (The other couples that we were around agreed with us, so we didn't feel so bad!) The first evening there we did 3 dialogue sessions. Basically, the whole weekend consists of these host couples telling of their experiences with each topic. They would talk for a while, the couples would split up, we'd write about the topic, join back together and discuss the topic with each other, and then go back to the meeting room and start on another topic. We did 3 of these topics the first night. Nick and I were a little emotional the first night. Most of the time you tell each other the things you love about them and things you want to work on. We always tell each other this stuff and we always give each other cards or love letters saying these things, but we got to expand on it on a different level. Saturday morning was the worst part. It drug on, mainly because we didn't know when we would have a break or lunch or how many of these dialogues we'd have to do. We had lunch and a two hour break so that really made us happy! You're not supposed to bring alcoholic beverages to this "sacred" place and you're not supposed to leave. Well, lots of people left and we did too. We went to the nearest gas station and bought an 18 pack of Bud Light for the evening! We got back and had a few more sessions. For supper, the host people made the dining hall into a more romantic setting. It was really nice...candlelight, wine, sharing of banana splits! We went back and had a few more sessions. When we got back the last time the chairs were set up facing your fiance and the lights were off. Each couple had a candle and they played some sappy music. We were to hold hands while a lady read us stuff about marriage. It was very sweet and EMOTIONAL! All you could hear was sniffling! It really made me think of being up at the altar with Nick and saying our vows as we peer into each others eyes. I always knew that I'd be a basketcase at the altar and this made me see it even more. I'm sure I'll look pitiful with make-up running all over my face. After all of that, we went to our vehicles and had a little pasture party. It was sooooo much fun! It was like we were in high school all over again. Sneaking around and breaking a few rules. (Not that I broke rules when I was in high school!) So, we're at Troy's truck and someone comes up in a golf cart. We immediately freak out...throwing our styrofoam cups of beer down and walking away. (I didn't) The lady comes up and says that we need to be quieter or go down the road a piece....where they drank when they came to the EE! She said that they (all of the host couples) are doing the same thing but on the opposite end of where we were and they could hear us. She didn't want one of the couples that were sleeping to come complain to them. WHAT? They were totally OK with our little party. We continued until about 12:30 and decided to go to bed since it would be another early morning. Sunday came and we finished up a few sessions. Another emotional day! We had to write a Betrothal, love letter/pledge to your fiance. Tears again. Then when we came back we had to pick someone to write a letter to, alive or deceased. They read an example that one couple wrote to their deceased mother/motherin-law. More tears! We started writing our letters and MORE TEARS! Finally it was lunch time. After lunch we got our certificates and a crucifix. It ended up being really great! Of course there were some low points where we just wanted to go home, but all-in-all it was awesome. Nick and I never thought we would be closer to each other, but we are and we're so glad we went!