Wishes and Dreams

I am not going to listen to the grown-ups who say that I am too old to still be dreaming and wishing. The map above shows a HUGE, really almost impossible desire of mine. Look carefully.....yep, that's a map of Italy and Greece. Hmmmm you might be wondering. Ok! I will just tell you.

Next summer there is a 2 week School Counselor Institute in ITALY!!!! Amazing and it would look so unique on a resume and I would get 3 hours of graduate credit. That is not all though....I want to go to Greece SOOOO bad. It is my travel dream! Like I could never travel again once I went to Greece and that would be OK. Well, if I am already going to be in Italy....and the map shows how close Greece is to Italy.....why don't I just hop over to Greece too!!!!!!!!!!

Now, this is just at the dream, head in the clouds stage. I know I would have to WORK SO MUCH to get there.......but I am gonna keep on thinking about it and we shall see. It's really one of thise instances that I think applies to the scripture about God being able to do more than we can ask or imagine:) I have that verse hanging right in my bedroom!

Have a truly great weekend everyone!

Athens and I

Good Morning!

 For any interested parties, I wanted to post anohter update on life in Athens.

 I have really adjusted well. I have only been here three weeks, yet thanks to the format of my graduate program I have 11 people who are my new friends. We are blessed enough to get to share this School Counseling experience together and in 2012 we will all graduate together!! (What in the world will happen between now and then? No earthly idea!!)

 I am in classes that are blowing my eyes wide open and expanding my worldview. I have never had to dig so deep into myself and into much of the racism, prejuidce, and unequal treatment in our society.  I am in classes that are teaching me more about my favorite area (the life of a child). I get the good shivers as I type because I think that I am going to LOVE being a counselour in the school setting.

I am happy that I have guests coming to visit me next weekend. Julie and Melanie and I are all planned out to enjoy the wonders of Athens and Atlanta:) Then my cohort (school counseling group) is going to a lakehouse in South Carolina! I am a happy lady:)

Living on the third floor is shaping up these little legs. Well kind of....that is probably a little wishful thinking mixed in! I love my new little place! Not having a roommate works for me. I am on a new routine up here. Grocery shopping on Sunday (and I am staying on budget. HAPPY DANCE!!!). Laundry on Monday. That sort of thing.

As you get ready for your weekend. Here is a thought provoking quote from a very thought provoking, book....the Bible!
Job 2:10 "...Shall we indeed accept good from God and shall we not accept adversity?" Things in my life right now are good, may I store up these times and feelings so when adversity strikes I don't sink into the typical complain and whine and unthankful mode. It's an easy thing to do and comes straight from the devil. On that heavy note....................... Have a wonderful weekend!!!!

Shameless Plug

                                                                              (found here)

          This front load Maytag Neptune washer has changed my life!!!!

       I don't think my clothes have ever been so clean and bright!!!

      Yeah, I am this excited about a washer:)

     

Day for Fathers

Hi!!

Today is Father's Day:) Like so many people, I think that my daddy is just about the best thing in my life. My mama and Melanie are tied with him! Anyway, today in church I heard this wonderful interactive lesson about what concrete things some of the Christian dads in the audiance could do to be a better husband and father. I LOVED IT! The answers were honest and real. One stood out in my head and heart though. One dad stood up and said....I am going to recommitt to showing my wife the kind of respect and love that I want my baby girl to look for in a man one day!!!!

That might not mean that much to you, but it exactly echoes my hidden and unspoken thoughts. People have asked, and lately I have wondered, about being 25 and never having been on a date. My life is usually so busy that my obvious answer is, "Who has time?" My second runner up is, "I am happy and well taken care of all by myself, I don't need another person to bring me down!" (or some other snide variation)

However, the main real reason why I have not dated is stated above. I have not found many men who would/could treat me the way my daddy treats my mother. I have seen glimpses in a few people but nothing overwhelming. My father is amazing, and darn him, has set the bar very high;)

Everyone has a different life story....but here are some things that I want in a man, and that my mother has found in her husband:
* someone to sit on the porch with and enjoy nature

* someone who loves  her family just like his own

* a man who loves God and is growing in Godly wisdom

* the other half to all of her personality quirks

* a quiet, reflective, loving man

* a man who still holds her hand during long car rides

* a man who leaves the sweetest poems hidden around our home

* a man who belives in the power of prayer, and studying God's word

So, all that to say two things. I thank my God in heaven for my amazing, special, caring, and funny daddy!!

And, I don't need to worry about finding a boyfriend. I am probably not even ready myself to meet the type of man that I want. Hmmmm deep thoughts! Happy Father's Day!!!!

Don't fight it!

Today I had to laugh at myself and life. Note to self: Do that more often. Life is often ridiculous:)

Anyway, I made a little mental plan to be Sabrina lite during this UGA experience. By that I mean that I was not gonna comment on everything, volunteer for everything, be everything. Really, I was going to try because it is SO easy for me to make it the Sabrina Show.

I think that I have done a pretty good job. Then today my cohort had to vote on a member to be the First Year Member at Large for the UGASCA (University of Georgia School Counseling Association). My cohort voted for me:) I am excited and a little nervous! I had to laugh, because I was trying not to be that girl. However, the real lesson is...don't fight who you are! Embrace it and enhance it, but there is no need to go working on what ain't broken! So, I will continue to just be me. I think me is pretty awesome:)

New Place Pics!

My bedroom! Nice and comfortable and a beautiful woodland view:)

The living room is cozy! My red sofas are just right for my new school colors!

A little bathroom art.

Now back to work:)

Thoughts on Week 1

Whew! My first week is over. In some ways it feels like I am getting to know a new me. She is still friendly, outgoing, and helpful. However, she is also organized, hard working, and being challeneged to really look inside herself!

I will cautiously say that I really like it here! My cohort of 12 is pretty amazing and I pray that I will build some life long relationships to add to the others who already enhance my life.

Being a student is awesome. Each morning I get to eat breakfast now!  I pack up the backpack and trudge to class. Then the magic happens. Being in an academic setting again is blissful! I LOVE learning! I really want to become an effective, compassionate counselour and I am definitely on the way.

I hope everyone's summer is going great. Tallahassee I miss thee!

Thought for the Day

Good Morning!

My simple thought for today is a question for you all...(straight from my text book on Life Span Dev.)

How old would you be if you did not know how old you were?

Hmmm, good one right:) Just let that simmer for a bit. I will share my answer later on. Happy Thursday!

Milestones!

In honor of this milestone day I figured I would write a post experimenting with all types of font! (Why not!)

Milestone 1: This is my 51st post! YAY for me. Though I don't have a theme for my thoughts or anything life changing to say...I like having this record and avenue to share.

Milestone 2: Today was my first day of gradaute classes. If you did not know, here is my summer schedule.
I am taking 12 hours (4 classes) in 7 weeks (crazy I KNOW!). That shakes out to one class a day from 9-4 (with 1 hr for lunch). Friday I don't have any class...but I have enough reading and projects to fill up the weekend.

Milestone 3: Today I ate fried fish that had been marinated in cinnamon! Yesterday I had cinnamon flavored pork chops:) My mama keeps on using cinnamon instead of paprika and the results have been interesting. Today the fish was actually yummy!

Night! (I wonder what month it will be on my 100th post? Hmmm I am thinking 2011:)

2 southern women talkin' marriage and eating boiled peanuts!

Yeah, the title of this entry is a short snapshot of the 5+ hour drive that I enjoyed with my mama on Saturday:)

In a few words here is what we have.
She drove slow, she had the GPS plugged in but did not use it. I kept turning on the air and searching for mama worthy music (not much let me tell you!).

We also chatted and laughed, and shared good silence.

We made it to Athens and I am happy to report that Betty likes my new spot:) It was her first time seeing it, and though there are boxes everywhere it is cozy! My first official guest is staying all week and I look forward to it! She bought enough items to stay forever but she assures me that she is going home to her husband;)

Now off to study and unpack and nap. PS- Stay tuned for my reflections on living on the 3rd floor!!!

ROBERTS LOVE!!!

Today was it. I said goodbye, or who knows, maybe see you later, to my first teaching job. That sounds so simple....and it was not. Roberts was more than a job to me. It was:
Laughter
Hard work
Friends
Family
Kids
Stress
Giving
Sharing
Growing
Teaching
Planning

Well I think you get it:) Roberts Elementary, tucked away in Tallahassee has been SOOO good to me. I am not the 21 year old who started working there theee years ago! I am so much more now and I know that it's because God blessed me to work with collegues who became friends. With students who became my babies. In an environment that became my heart:)

Know this... you think you are going to miss me.....but I know I will miss you more. The sweet, caring spirit at Roberts can't be copied. Today I left a clean room, with everything all packed up neatly but the memories just can't be contained. They are many and they are good!

Monday I start the UGA chapter, can't even begin to fathom what that will bring. I do know this, that I have a home in Tallahassee and I am leaving the door open. Who knows what in the world could and might happen. Exciting times lie ahead and exciting times lie behind.

Have a perfect weekend!!

Laughs

Boy oh Boy....if you ever want to see me laugh from the gut, then put me in front of some Golden Girls.

That show is the definition of humor to me.

Witty.....Crafty....Creative....Surprising!!!

Those Golden Girls have seen me through many a LATE night!

Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Blanche today:(  Thinking back we have now lost Blanche, Dorthy, and Ma in the span of a few short years. That makes me so sad!!! Anyway may they always be remembered and may Betty White teach the younger generation a few things about aging gracefully:)

Thank you for being a friend.



Traveled down the road and back again.  


Your heart is true your a pal and a confidant.






And if you threw a party.
Invited everyone you ever knew


You would see the biggest gift would be from me


And the card attached would say thank you for being a friend.