2 days in a row??

I know, crazy. I write like once every 3 weeks and here I am on a consecutive day writing in this blog. Well I had a little life realization a little while ago. I wanted to record it, because anyone who knows me will be just shocked for this one.

As my parents, friends, roommates, and boyfriend will attest, I am not the neatest person in the world. Far from it. However, today as I vacuumed and mopped the floors and cleaned my bathroom I found a little source of joy deep within my heart. I thought to myself, "what is this? I'm happy about cleaning?" Weird, I know. But hear me out...I realized that it was in fact joy that I was feeling as I scrubbed the floors and even cleaned the toilet. I realize that this is my home. Sure, I'm not necessarily paying the rent, what college kid has $550 a month to pay? But, when people come over they are going to see this space and know that it's mine. When I wake up in the morning and take a shower I know that this nicely smelling room (thanks to the bath and body works wallflower that is plugged into my far wall) is mine. It's clean, it's neat, and it's mine. I feel so much better in the morning when I wake up and make the bed versus throwing the blankets aside and crawling out. My room looks so happy and comforting. Now, I know it is only the first week. Skeptics out there would say, "just wait. It's going to be just as messy as your room at home or your dorm room." But I think I've genuinely turned over a new leaf. It's kind of exciting. So, if you think I'm not going to make it last, don't tell me. Just prepare to be amazed in a few months when it is clean still. :)

Welcome to My New Home

So, I'm all moved into my new apartment. It is so exciting to move through rooms as if I am in a real house. You see, for the last 3 years I have lived in the dorms. Now my dorm had AC and it was pretty large as far as dorms go, but it seemed like it was getting smaller every day. Now, I am living at The Verge with my two roommates Chelsea and Colleen. So far it's been pretty nice. I go to sleep at night in pitch dark and I wake up and turn on an overhead light. I don't have to crawl from a lofted bed and I can keep my room a little neater now that I have a little more space.
So far we have laid by the pool a lot! It's so nice because it is literally right downstairs; we don't even have to walk to a different building. The only problem I have with it is that it is 987 degrees, but I guess that's not the pool's fault. It's usually not very crowded, maybe like 3 other people there. I can just take my book and relax for a few hours, come back up for lunch, and then back out again until later in the evening.
But, it hasn't been all fun and sun, I've had to go to my school a lot this week in preparation for student teaching. I'm really excited to be working at Morris Grove Elementary this year in the 4th grade! So far I've been to a staff meeting, the CHCCS convocation, and the classroom for a little prep time. Tomorrow we are going over all of the test scores from last year to plan for the incoming group of kids. By then we should have our class lists which will make this seem even more real to me. Monday night is meet teacher night, I'm so excited to meet all of the kids and parents that I will be working with this year! Maybe we should make a class blog, that would be cool, huh? Well, I guess I am going to settle in for the night. Goodnight!

Missing Home

It's so weird how you don't know what you have until it's gone....

In May I went to Uganda for about two and a half weeks. While I was there I was so frustrated with myself and God because I couldn't understand why all of my teammates were so in love with the place. I was hot and I missed home and all of the familiar things. A couple of weeks after I got home I started to realize how much I missed it. Especially the children. I miss my Mary, Esther, Tina, and Munchkin. There is a hole in my heart that misses them everyday. I just want to hold them and kiss them again. I also miss the simplicity and never knowing what time things were going to happen. Now, I sit at work and watch as the time slowly slips away, counting down until 5:00. I want to go back so badly, and next time I'll cherish every moment. I miss the dirt roads and the smiles of all of the people when they saw us walk by. I miss the mosquito nets and the green grass that grew everywhere. I miss the blue skies that were so blue you wouldn't believe it. I miss having a rainbow every afternoon to remind us of the joy that God has instilled in that place. The Lord is working there and I am so happy that I was a part of it. I pray that one day he will send me back to that place. There are not words to describe the joy and love that I have gained from that experience.

I am in the process of preparing a presentation for my church and looking at all of these pictures makes me want to jump on a plane and be there tomorrow. In the meantime I need to pray for them and pray that the children can still feel our love and that the Lord is still keeping his watchful eye on all of our friends.

In the beginning...

So, this is the first post of my new blog! I am very excited. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to write about yet, maybe a mixture of things. I think I just want to be able to write and let people read it. Although I keep a journal, it's private; so this is for everyone and me I guess? Maybe as time goes on I'll get better at blogging...clearly I am crashing a burning here.

Probably I'll talk about what's going on in my life, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I'm studying to become a teacher so some of that might be reflected here. I also am an active member of Campus Crusade for Christ at UNC, so some of that may make its way in here as well. I also have a great group of friends, so I'm sure some great stories will make it in here. Finally, I am in the transition stages of relationship status.... =D so hopefully I'll have some of that to write about too!

Anyway, enjoy!!