Attention.

Somehow everything in my life came all at once in full force and this blogging deal has been put on the back-burner for the past few months. I have finally found some time to give my blog some much needed attention. The only sensible way to update on these past few months is in the form of a currently post, so here we go.

I am currently...

Thinking about: life and all of the important aspects that go along with it. I am thinking about my last few weeks of my internship and moving on to the next placement. Also thinking about my plans for after graduation. Most importantly, I am thinking about my upcoming plans for this week. It is Thanksgiving this week, and I am going back home to Saginaw to spend the holidays with quite a few people that I love dearly. So I'm thinking hardly about these next few days flying by!

Listening to: quite a few different artists. A group that I have recently gotten into was a recommendation by a friend from work. They are called Tinariwen. There is one song of theirs in particular that I have been listening to on repeat.

Thankful for: the beautiful weather that we've been having these past couple days. It has allowed me to be able to do one of my most favorite things, and that is to go on nature walks with Roxie dog and sometimes my sister Ash and her dog bear. There is nothing better than getting to walk outside with some of your favorite people and having the sun shine in your face. Seriously. Nothing better.

Researching: a way to spend a month or so during my summer. A friend recently told me about this program called Woofing. Woofing stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. You can volunteer at these farms for however long you want and they offer programs in every state and abroad in another country. I am reading up on all of the different farms in the states that I would love to go to. Hopefully after this semester is over, I can start contacting these farms and get some more questions answered. 

Loving: my first tattoo. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. I went to get an estimate on how much my idea for the tattoo would cost and all of a sudden the girl behind the counter is asking me when I want to schedule my appointment, and I just blurted out a time for a few days following. It's very meaningful and my heart feels a little heavy every time that I look at it. One of the best decisions I have made these past few months, that's for sure.

These next few weeks will be crazy busy, so the silence on the blog will continue on.

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.

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.

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.