Identity Oddity

Today was my last day at work before the wedding.

My colleagues spoiled me with two beautiful bath towels from our gift registry. I was treated to a lovely speech from my principal and lots of well wishes. There were cards from parents, messages from kids (in my class, and from around the school) and there was just a generally nice vibe floating around all day.

This afternoon I was finishing up the day with my Year 1/2 class and they were asking a whole lot of questions about the wedding - and I was explaining to them that this would be my last day teaching as 'Miss S'. They were a bit thrown by that, but a few caught on & asked what I would be coming back as. So, I told them. I'll be coming back as 'Mrs D'. 

That's when it hit me. All the dress fittings and the last minute tasks and the deadlines - they've just become part of our everyday lives. But saying it out loud, saying my new name and my new identity out loud (& having 25 kids trying it on for size, too) - that was it. We're getting married. We're going to be sharing a surname. We're going to be starting a family, our own family. 

For now, work is over. I'm off for two weeks, until we're back from our stint in Vanuatu for the honeymoon. It's going to be strange getting used to my new identity, but I think hearing my kidlets calling me by it every single day when I return will help make the transition a little easier.