I am moving into my own apartment at the end of August, and decorating ideas are currently flowing through my mind... and also my Pinterest boards. I'm loving clean white spaces with a vintage/rustic feel. Here are the current beautiful spaces that are helping me daydream of ways to decorate my new apartment...
It has been a bumpy couple of weeks. I was beginning to feel like there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Have you ever had one of those moments where you just felt like nothing was going your way and there is nothing that you can do to get out of this slump?
I have spent the past couple of weeks trying to get my life in order. Through all of the tears and confusion, I finally feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. For me, this light is walking across that stage in April 2013 and getting my college diploma that I have been working on for the past 5 years.
There are a couple things that I'm trying to sort through, but there are always going to be circumstances that try and bring you down sometimes. I have moved past the idea of no longer being able to go to Germany. I have been confirmed a new placement in Vicksburg at an elementary school and have already been in contact with my future mentor teacher. I have a good feeling about this upcoming school year, despite the struggles that I have gone through to get to this point.
I will try to avoid rambling on about giving some thanks to some awesome people in my life. Just know your love and support is recognized :)
I'll leave you with a song that has been lifting my spirits lately.
Lately I have been feeling the urge to disconnect from the social media world, but mostly Facebook. Social networking has truly taken over a huge part of our lives and has ruined the way that we communicate with people in person. When people are out to eat with their families, they have their phones permanently glued to their face the entire time and aren't truly enjoying the company of those around them. I see friends who are hanging out together, and have experienced this myself, where one person is glued to their phone while the other is trying to have a conversation but ends up feeling ignored.
I am not perfect and have fallen victim to the negatives of being socially connected. I have gone through countless times to delete friends on Facebook who aren't necessarily my 'friends' but people who like to see what I'm doing and vice versa. Essentially this is stalking. I find it sickening and odd that I will be on a friend's page and I will keep continuously clicking and then I'm looking through pictures of someone that I barely know.
I enjoy using my Facebook for posting pictures, seeing what friends are up to, keeping in contact with friends who have moved away, and also for group projects for class. Facebook does have some positives in the way that it can be used, but also has way more of a negative aspect about it. I'm not sure when my 'disconnect' will happen, but the more and more that I think about it, I'm thinking it will be soon.
Have you ever felt the need to 'disconnect' from the social world?
I started this blog with the intention of using it as a place where I could share my adventures while abroad in Germany. I thought that this would be the perfect place to share all of my adventures where all of my loved ones could go to one place to check up on me despite the distance.
Due to some circumstances that are beyond my control, I am no longer making this trip for the fall semester. If it was in the cards for me, trust me, I would be going. I don't want this bump in the road to change the path of where I was going with this blog. There are still so many adventures to be had even though I am staying in the states.
Although the idea is hard for me to grasp completely, I am trying to stay 100% positive and make the best of what has been handed to me. This isn't my only opportunity to go abroad. I have plenty of good years ahead of me to make a trip abroad and see the world in my own accord. It is definitely saddening that I can't make the trip with the lovely ladies and Gary and experience it with them, but I know that in some way, I'm meant to take a different direction.
Who knows? Maybe next summer a backpacking trip to Europe or a road-trip to the west coast are in my future plans.
Ever since I went to the Dave Matthews Band concert a few days ago, this song is really resonating with me. These bumps in the road happen for a reason. Life is short but sweet for certain.
I have been back to reality for a couple days now and I am already dreaming of relaxing with having nothing to do and being around the ones that I love the most. Although I am not happy to be back to having these responsibilities, it was indeed wonderful to get a break. A chance to breathe and relax.
I got the chance to spend a few days back home in Saginaw and also a few days in Mackinaw City/Mackinac Island. Jon's brother Nick and his wife Amy were in town from Savannah for about 5 days so it was good to get the chance to hang out with them.
Note: Lots of pictures to illustrate my time home
We all went to a Tiger's game for the 4th of July. It was 101 degrees outside and about a half hour after getting there (and getting free hats) it started to downpour and hail. We had to stand for about 3 and a half hours and it was flooded so our feet were covered in about 3 inches of rain with peanut shells floating all around us. Not a good time!
After the rain stopped, the game was called back on around 9:30 and the rest of the night went smoothly. The Tiger's played a great game (and won!), Jon and I went on Amy kiss cam, and we enjoyed a 5th of July fireworks show!
After Nick and Amy left on Friday, we headed up for a weekend in Mackinac City/Island. Jon's other brother Ben was playing in a vintage baseball game on the Island. The Saginaw Old Golds is the team that he plays for, and these games are a lot of fun to attend! Silly me forgot to put on sunscreen as we sat in the sun for 8 hours watching the games, so I was quite burnt.
Although Mackinaw is very touristy, it is one of my favorite places to go.
1. brothers being silly 2. a photoshoot gone wrong 3. the ferry over to the island took us underneath the bridge 4. playing in the water before the baseball game 5. typical mackinaw couple pic 6. We walked around the island and played with some horses 7. typical ferry pic 8. Sun setting over the bridge
As I sit here back in my life as a student, I am grateful for these moments. These moments that allow me to take a break from my day to day routines and allow me to forgot about my stressors for just a couple days. Until next time, I will continue to peel off my first layer of my summer skin.
It is officially July 1st. Oh, how the time is flying by. One month and 18 days until I fly out for Germany.
Roxie and I enduring the heat together.
This weekend consisted of relaxing and getting stuff done. I have a fun-filled week ahead of me and am very much looking forward to a break back home with Jon's family. There will be a big update after this week is over. I just thought I would peek my head in for a quick hello.
