Today.

August 19th. Today is the day that I thought I would be boarding a plane to head to Germany for four months. It's crazy how your life plans can change so quickly and you're left to follow a different path than the one that you started on.

Today I am feeling sad and envious, I will admit that. Part of me wishes that I was sitting along side my ladies (and Gary) at the airport, anxiously awaiting to begin this adventure. Although I am feeling sad and envious today, another part of me is feeling excited. I'm excited to hear and see everything my 6 beautiful friends are doing while abroad, but also excited for what is in store for me this upcoming semester/final school year. I may not be getting the opportunity to student teach in Germany, but I have a great feeling about my placement here.

I have big plans for the upcoming year. Not being able to go to Germany now has made me more determined than ever to make some sort of big trip after I graduate. There are some plans in the works to go to California next summer with some friends for Comic Con. There is also an idea that has been rattling my mind for quite some time... the idea of backpacking across Europe. I'll have more on that later.

Currently...

Thinking about: moving into my new apartment and decorating plans. I am so anxious for these next 7 days to fly by so that I can move into my own place. I'm loving the idea of having plants in my apartment so I've been finding a lot of lovely photos on Pinterest to inspire me...

(Sources: Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Picture 4)

Listening to: The Alabama Shakes album called Boys & Girls. I just recently heard their song 'Hold On' on a local radio station here in Kalamazoo, and I have been listening to that song repeatedly. It puts me in a good mood!

Eating: I've gone out to lunch at a local restaurant called Just Good Food the past couple days. Their sandwiches are to die for and I have been loving their marinated strawberries. I also feel like I've been eating a lot of food from my job lately, but I really do not mind all of the free pizza and delicious garlic bread.

Anticipating: The move into my new apartment (obviously...) and starting my student teaching. I just received an email from my mentor teacher about a training we'll be having next Thursday and information about our first day back as teachers. Now that I have wrapped up all of my undergraduate courses, I'm just so excited to get started on my student teaching!

Thankful for: my sister and her hubby letting me and Roxie stay at their house while I'm without my own place until the 22nd. It's a full house over here but I'm thankful for the good family that I have.

Watching: I just recently started watching Bob's Burgers on Netflix and that show is hilarious. I have also been re-watching Parks & Rec since my sister just started watching it and is now hooked on the show! 

Dreaming about: I want to get into better shape. My sister Ash and I have started running this summer using this awesome app called 5k Runner. It takes you through an 8-week training period and we're on the 7th week now. I never thought that I would be able to run for 15 minutes straight, but it's happening and I'm slowly beginning to love running and want to start training for a more serious 5k (because the color run was not so serious but I LOVED it and had so much fun and was able to run for some of it). With my busy schedule for the upcoming school year, I'm not sure when I'll find time to exercise but this has been on my list of things to-do for quite some time, and I think it's time I start getting serious about it. 

What are you guys currently watching, dreaming about, thinking of, eating, anticipating? Have a great rest of your week!

** Thank you to Danielle and Jen for the inspiration for this post! Check out their blogs :)

Quiet.

I apologize for it being so quiet over here. I have been caught up in trying to enjoy the last bit of my summer, working a new job, and moving out of my apartment.

Last weekend I had a few friends from Saginaw come and visit and we participated in the Color Run in Grand Rapids on Sunday morning. It was so much fun to get some time to spend with these ladies and participating in the happiest 5k on the planet. After the 5k, we headed over to Grand Haven to clean off in Lake Michigan. Quite possibly the perfect ending to a happy weekend.

                      

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This summer is flying by. I wrap up my last couple summer classes tomorrow and then I get to kind of enjoy my last couple weeks of summer. I started a new job at one of my favorite local restaurants, Martini's. It has been keeping me busy as did moving out of my apartment that has been home for the past couple years. I look forward to moving into my new apartment next week though. Things are going to be changing pretty soon here, and I am greatly looking forward to the challenges ahead.

Currently inspired by...

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...

    

 





(Sources: Coffee Bar Vintage radio table Map door Wallflowers Wall of frames Pretty desk space Crate shelves Pretty bathroom storage)

These spaces are currently inspiring me and sparking new ideas for my new space. Are any of you currently being inspired by something?

Fresh start.

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.

Disconnecting.

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?

Feeling down

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.