Sometimes...

Sometimes, life gives you a block. A big, ugly block. Life puts that block in your path and tells you to figure it out. Sometimes, it's like that block somehow turns into a waiting game, ya know? Ya gotta wait for what you need, ya gotta wait for what you want. All You want is answers. All You need is closure. 

Life is full of things we can't see until they hit us, especially traps that we don't know we're caught in until we're in too deep. But what happens when we are in too deep? 

Anything. 

It could be that the person bursts into a breakdown, or the person seeps into a corner and doesn't want to come out. Sometimes that person stays there so long they just can't come out. It's like the wait never ends. 

When does the one who has been broken down find the strength to build back up again? It sometimes seems like it's impossible. Every little thing becomes a mountain to climb or a rickety bridge to cross. 

It's those things that make us stronger. We learn from experience what we should or should not do. We step out of our comfort zones as we gain each ounce of confidence or courage. We build back up. We cross each bridge and we climb each mountain, even when they're near the impossible.

Life is hard sometimes, but don't let it crowd you into a corner. You're so much bigger than that, and God is bigger than it all.

You will find strength. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 - "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 

He is my strength when I am weak.

God Bless. 

WA

Ringing in 2014

Well, it's here! 2014.

Another year for what was experienced in 2013- new experiences, self discovery, growth, awesome times with great people, and most of all more of what God has blessed us all with... Time. I am fortunate to have the time with my family, my friends, and those around me. No matter our relationship, we will continue to make our impressions on one another in many ways. So this year let me encourage you to make an impression (good or bad- you choose) on someone you know or even someone you don't. Our time here on Earth is not unlimited, so let's make the best of it! Love you all.

Happy New Year!

WA

Accomplishments

ac·com·plish·ment

əˈkämpliSHmənt/

noun 1.something that has been achieved successfully.

One thing I have learned a lot about in my lifetime is goal-setting. Most people live life trying to reach their highest goals- becoming successful, getting through school, marriage, starting a family, etc. However, those are very common and can be quite broad. I've learned to challenge myself with smaller goals and take each day as it comes. Why not enjoy life as God gives it to us? Day by day. 

Among some small goals that I have set for myself, I accomplished one this weekend that I would've never pictured myself doing a year ago. I ran 2.7 miles nonstop in my first 5K (3.1 mi). It wasn't the easiest thing to do, either. If you've  read any of my past blogs, you would know I've been training for an event like this since May. I've never been the most athletic person, so this was a huge challenge for myself. 

Although I do share several of those common goals I listed above, I know God will allow me to accomplish them on His time, not mine.  In the meantime, I will continue to strive towards those goals and set more small goals to accomplish. My next goal is to run a full 5K nonstop in better time, and I know that with God's guidance I can do just that. With that said, what are your goals? 

Toughin' It

So, if you have read my blog on jogging, you probably will realize that this post is an update on my progress. Zach and I started jogging twice a week in May of this year. You see, we weren't as dedicated as we should've been at first, but now I have committed quite a bit of my time to healthier living. Here's why...

In August, I had my yearly checkup, and when I told the doctor about my exercise plan, she actually told me 3 times a week is recommended. Although 2 times a week is good, the next week your body just has to start all over, so no real progress is seen. As a result, I have decided to step up to the challenge. By exercising 3 times a week, I hope I will see some results!

In the past month alone, I have pushed myself to jog further or for longer periods of time. At times, I added sprints to the mix. This summer heat/humidity has been quite rough, but I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end. I now have increased my workouts to 3-4 times a week and have restricted or limited some unnecessary food items from my diet. I've also been working on adding more protein to help those muscle fibers! I also want to mention I'm running my first 5K in 3 weeks!

So, in the process of making myself healthier, I am setting more goals for myself. I am hoping that by proving to myself that I CAN do this, I will learn to dedicate myself to the more important things in life. I hope that I will grow more confident as a person, and I hope that my quality of life is changed for the better. 

In the meantime, keep a check back and you will most likely see me posting about that 5K soon. God's leading my way. I know I can do it. 

Peace. 

WA

Hire me!

You know, after I graduated college with my B.S. degree in Art Ed. back in December, I decided to take it easy. I checked TeachGeorgia.org (Georgia's website for education job openings) every few weeks, and maybe searched around online on other sites for jobs. I thought this whole job search deal would be easier than it's been. However, when May rolled around, I started checking constantly. I would check TeachGeorgia on my phone for new jobs when I was bored, I'd go home after work and search for jobs on my computer, and I have developed a habit of typing in the web address just as bad as one may do for Facebook.


You could say I'm at a point where I just don't know what to think about this next year. I want to give up sometimes, but I just keep pushing myself to hunt even more. It's almost mid-July, and I'm not where I thought I'd be. I thought I'd be planning for a year full of art classes for the 2013-14 school year, or even planning for a class in my other 2 certified fields. Nope. I'm still where I was before I started this hunt in May. I've filled out countless applications, many which took more than 2 hours to complete, and only a handful of those were art positions. Sure, I've had an interview, and later a job offer, but the salary wouldn't have covered the expense of traveling or even living in the area of the school. (This also wasn't a teaching position, but a teacher's assistant position). It also isn't helpful when schools want teachers with experience, are certified for AP classes, or are super far away. How am I supposed to gain experience if I can't get a job? Hmm...

So, my job search hasn't been at all what I had hoped it to be, but I still have hope. Even if God doesn't bless me with a job this go-around, maybe something will come up sooner or later. Like many have told me, God's going to do everything in His time. He's got a plan for me, so I'm ready for his plan to take place. If he doesn't want me to have a job this year for some reason, I don't guess it'll happen. Hopefully, I will, but we'll see. Well, I'm done job hunting for the night. I guess with every new day, there are new happenings.  Here's to hoping one of those happenings is in my favor, but with God's blessings of course!

Thanks for reading. WA

New Goal

Something I've always wished I could do but have always been too lazy to do: Running.

When I attended college, I had friends who ran regularly and they always talked about the "runner's high" that can actually keep you going longer once you reach it. I haven't ever had the chance to experience this feeling, but maybe one day I will. 

About a month and a half ago, my boyfriend and I picked up running as a new hobby. I didn't think we'd last as long as we have. When we first started, I wasn't 100% for the whole idea, but I pushed myself anyway. I couldn't even run a half mile. Over the past few weeks, I have grown to really enjoy going running, and I believe it's because I've gotten to the point where I'm able to run at least 0.7 miles. Almost at a full mile in a month, and that feels good! I'm also enjoying it because it makes me feel good afterwards, no matter how much I sweat or how hot/humid it is outside. The southern humidity does put a strain on our lungs when we're trying to breathe correctly, but we've learned to keep going since we're just strengthening our lungs. Another reason I've had fun with running is because it's something Zach and I can do together that is good for us, both physically and emotionally. Finding something we both like doing isn't hard, but it's always good to add something new to the list. 

My new goal is to be able to run a 5K. Yes, I know that is approximately 3 miles, but that's why I'm pushing myself to do more each time we run. Hopefully this time next year I will be able to achieve this accomplishment, and I'm glad I will become healthier in doing so. I'm going to start searching online for some 5K's around here, preferably running with a cause. Know of any? Post a comment and I'll look into it. Maybe I won't get lazy and quit doing this, because it's something I hope to keep up in the future.

Anyway, have a great day. 

Thanks for reading.

WA

Memories last a Lifetime. Don't sell yourself short.

Memories. We all have them, and they can prove to be good or bad. We can choose to block out the awful ones that drove us to tears or rage, or relive and cherish the ones that kept us smiling for days. Most people don't pay attention to how they feel or what's going on during those stale, in-between, boring times of their lives. You know, the daily routines that include going to school, work, lessons, etc...

However, being the observant individual that I have always been, I continuously try to remember how I felt during a certain situation or how something went down moment-by-moment. One might say I hoard memories. I don't find that to be a bad thing. I love to remember things, and that interest has often turned out to be a very practical skill for my daily life. I remember the good things, but make it a point to remember the bad experiences as well. This is useful because it strengthens me as a person. I reflect on various times in my life, remembering the smells, sights, sounds and emotions that I experienced during those precious times. 

Tonight I've been thinking particularly about times in my life in which certain people were present, and I figured I'd share a few memories with you. Maybe you'll remember some of your own.

Earlier Memories:

1) One time in 2nd grade, I had a sleepover and one of the girls brought fake nails (with glue) for us all. We all put them on, thinking we were the stuff.

Lesson learned: Fake nails are never a good idea at a 2nd grader's birthday sleepover. Within a few hours of putting them on, about 6 of us 8 girls woke up crying and begging my mama to remove them for us. Oh, what a night!

2) When I was in about 3rd or 4th grade, my family went tent camping by the creek in a campground other than our usual place. While we were in the office, I saw that there was a fridge full of drinks and I just knew I had to have a V8 juice. You know when you were little, how you had to have something from most places you visited? Yeah... this is one of those times. Anyway, I remembered drinking one before and knew they were delicious, so I had to have one. However, as we returned to the car, I opened the drink and once I took the first sip I spit it on the ground. It was disgusting. Now, if you don't know what had happened by this point, here it is: I had mistaken the terrible V8 juice (tomato juice) for a delicious V8 Splash (fruity drink). I swore I was drinking cold tomato soup. Since I had begged for the drink, my mama made me drink all of it to teach me a lesson. Needless to say, I never begged for another V8 juice, and learned to double check what kind of juice I was buying.

3) Middle school- I don't know how many times I forgot how to open my locker, wore the tackiest clothes (I literally owned a pair of hot pink tie-dye capris in 6th grade), and witnessed fights in hallways. One of my best friends and I went to so many different fights as spectators, that I lost count. I'll never forget going to FFA club meetings to get a free biscuit for breakfast, racing a friend down the halls to chorus class from homeroom, and going on a field trip to the Atlanta Zoo and coming back during a tornado. I remember all of the students bowing heads and praying for our lives on that school bus. I loved going out to the outdoor classroom in 7th grade, and I hated changing out in P.E. What awkward middle school girl doesn't? I remember winning the spelling bee in 6th grade after battling it out with an 8th grader for an hour, and going back to math and no one believing me until afternoon announcements came on. I'll never forget the embarrassment of falling down the stairs of the bus on a rainy morning and my best friend walking me to the nurse. Despite the bad things, I had fun in what's supposed to be the most miserable, awkward time in a teenager's life. So much happened in middle school- good and bad, but I can't name it all here.  I made the most of my time in middle school, and I guess that's why I'm driven towards teaching that age group today.

4) High school- Let's see, there was an upgrade in school food, my first boyfriend in 9th grade, and my first attempts to experiment with identity. In high school, I participated on flag line for 3 years, tried to be an active member of various clubs, enjoyed Dr. Beasley's quirky stories in advisement, and experienced those dreaded endings and grateful beginnings of friendships. It's sad to say I wish I could've stayed closer to more of my friends, but choosing to fulfill my interests in art in high school really did a number on a lot of my friendships. However, I did meet several influential people on the way, and I made bonds that still have lasted even after leaving school. I met my current boyfriend during senior year, and we've been together for over 5 years now. I found that I can be creative in more ways than just art, and I found that I have a love for writing and language. High school gave me that confidence boost I needed for trying new things, and I'm grateful for that. Even though I couldn't wait to get to college, I sometimes wish I could have the chance to be back in high school. I wouldn't change anything, though.

5) College: I went to college about 2 hours away from home with my best friend from high school, where we lived in a small 10 foot X 12 foot cement brick room. I'll always remember rearranging our room more than anyone on our hall, and walking the hills on campus. I don't think I'll ever forget the old "chow" hall, where I ate turkey wraps every day. Thanks to 2 other people, I'll always remember I ate this everyday because they thought it was silly I had a routine. I also experienced real snow fall in Georgia (more than just an inch), and walking a mile to Walmart in the snow for a pack of oreos with my roommate. Waking up to cadet cadences every Monday, Wednesday and Friday is something I was annoyed by then and cherish now. I'll remember living with someone from another country and trying delicious foods, as well as watching the sun rise over campus from my apartment window. Other memories include going to Walmart at 11 PM to buy ink, 3 AM to try to return the printer ink because I bought the wrong kind, and them telling me they couldn't return it until 7 AM. This is what my friend and I get for procrastinating until the night before our entire resource notebook was due. I also want to include staying in a darkroom alone for 10 hours in one setting to finish developing photography. I even packed lunch and snacks so I could camp out there to finish my projects. I also got to spend 3 of my college years with some of the best girls I know in Gamma Sig. Through all of this, I learned so much in college and looking back on a lot of it, I would not change a thing. I enjoyed it for what it was- 4 years I wish could've lasted even longer.

My memories have made me the person I am today, and I'm glad I got to experience a lot of them. This is probably just a teeny tiny percentage of all my fun times and bad times, but this thing is already way too long. Hope you found it interesting. Thanks for reading.

Love, WA