Connecting the Dots

In my U101 class this week, we watched Steve Jobs' 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University.

I love this commencement address.  I didn't really know too much about Steve Jobs until he passed away, but I feel like in this speech, we see and hear a side of him that most people didn't know.  He makes many points in the address that I really love, but may favorite is what he says about connecting the dots.  I never tire of hearing stories about how a rather insignificant moment or experience leads to greater things and sometimes the direction that one's life takes.  Steve Jobs makes it clear though that you can only connect the dots looking backwards.

I recently had a "connect the dots" moment.  I won't go in to too many details, but awhile ago, I was questioning my career path.  I wasn't sure if working at a university was really what I wanted to do and I wasn't really sure if I was even good at my job.  However, as someone who follows and trusts God, I didn't sense Him leading me in a different direction.  I just felt really stuck, but tried to remain faithful.

Over the past week the tutors I work with have been turning in their Intent to Return forms - aka - do they still want to work here next semester.  I've amazed at the number of students who are planning to come back and what they have shared about their experience.  They are loving it!  It's so so humbling and it's been a sweet reminder that I'm where I need to be at least for now.

Sometimes where we are is more important for others than it is for ourselves.  I realized that a bit this week.

Comfort Food and Dinner Time

One of the things about my childhood for which I am so fortunate is that most nights a week, my family and I sat down together for dinner at home.  I don't think I completely appreciated it at the time, but now that I'm older, married, and will hopefully have a family of my own soon, I really see the importance and beauty of having a time to connect, unwind, and share a meal together.

I love to cook! (I think I've mentioned this before!)  And I really love to cook in the fall.  There's just something special about comfort foods and eating something warm and savory when it's cool outside and of course, nothing beats the smell of apples, cinnamon, or pumpkin baking!

One my favorite new comfort foods and new favorite recipes is Spaghetti and Homemade Meatballs from one of my favorite blogs Everyday Occassions.  It's not too hard and so delicious.  A few weekends ago I spent a wonderful Sunday afternoon making a double batch.  So if you are needing a quick, delicious, and impressive recipe, give this one a try and let me know how it goes!  To see this recipe on the blog, follow the link and search "Meatballs" in the search bar.

Homemade Meatballs 
Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef (I've also used "Meatloaf Mix" - beef and pork - and it's delicious!)
2 slices of bread
2 cloves of garlic
Fresh parsley, chopped (I've left this out and haven't noticed much of a difference.  When I did use it, I used about 2 Tbsp)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp milk
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste

Food Processor Method:
Begin by cutting or tearing break in to cube.  In food processor, put garlic and parsley. Pulse until finely chopped.  Add parmesan cheese cut into 1-inch cubes if not already grated.  Pulse until fine.  Add break in small batches and pulse.  Add mixture to ground beef (in separate bowl).  Add egg, milk, salt, and pepper.  Then mix with a fork, keeping the mixture light and fluffy.

By Hand Method:

Tear bread into small pieces.  Add grated parmesan, minced garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.  Add eggs and milk. Mix together.  Add mixture to ground beef.  Mix with a fork, keeping the mixture light and fluffy.

Form into balls with an ice cream scoop and place on a baking sheet.  Cook meatballs under a high broiler on high for 7-9 minutes until just browned on outside or cook meatballs at 425 for 20 minutes (I sometimes get scared of the broiler!)

We serve these meatballs with angel hair pasta and Classico Sweet Basil sauce.  

Bon Appetit!

An Unexpected Getaway

This past week my husband attended a conference in Atlanta and I was fortunate enough to be able to tag along.  Since his new role started in January, he's had to do a bit more traveling than he's normally had to do.  Compared to a lot of people and their careers, it's really not that much and for that we are thankful.  In the spring he went away about 4 times and this fall he has about another 3-4 trips, including the one he just took.

During the spring, I was never able to join him because my schedule already had some important things set in stone that I couldn't miss, but his trip to Atlanta was planned far enough in advanced and my schedule was flexible enough that I could make some arrangements to be able to join him!  We were both so happy it worked out.  I've had a crazy and somewhat challenging month so it was great to get away, have a change of scenery, and just take a little break.

Because Steven was in the conference for the majority of the time and we were close to one of the big malls, I got to go shopping!  I do enjoy shopping but after awhile it wears me out and it certainly did during my time in Atlanta.  Fortunately Steven got out of his conference early every day so we got some extra time together.

Now we're back and I'm starting to take advantage of all things fall!!!  My favorite season!  I've gone a little pumpkin crazy with putting a few around our house and stocking up pumpkin goodies today at Trader Joe's!  Just love this time of year and looking forward to enjoying it more! :)

So thankful for this guy!

24 hours

I had really, really bad day this week.  Probably one of the hardest days I had had in almost a year.  Those days are just the worst.  :(  There were a lot of tough and frustrating situations, but I also could have handled things better.  One of my good friends was kind enough to listen to me and empathize with my situation and my sweet husband listened, hugged, but also provided some wonderful perspective.  His words helped me remember that we all, regardless of who we are and what we do, have 24 hours in the day.  What a comfort that has been this week!!!  It's become somewhat of a mantra to me as I have felt like I've been pulled in all different directions.

Remembering this and focusing on this has also helped me rethink my priorities.  My first priority is God, my second priority is my husband, and then comes everything else!  Everything else is fleeting. Everything else doesn't matter if you're priorities aren't taken care of.  You won't be your best self.

So take your 24 hours, do your best, work hard, but most importantly take care of yourself.  In the end, everything will be okay, everything will work out, and if doesn't, then it wasn't meant to be.

Labor Day Weekend

I love Labor Day Weekend!  Since the last few weeks of August are always SOOOO busy with school getting started, a 3-day weekend always comes at the perfect time!  What a difference just having one day off makes!

Last year over Labor Day, we went up to Pennsylvania to meet our first newborn nephew for the first time (crazy to think how much he's grown in a year!!!), but this year we kept it low key and it was perfect since we had busy weeks at work, were getting over colds, and had not been sleeping well.

The Saturday of Labor Day is always a fun day because it's full of college football from morning to night.  It was nice to be unbiased watching some of the games and try to forget the heartbreaking loss Carolina had two nights before.  On Saturday night, we went to Pearlz Oyster Bar in the Vista with two of our good friends.  We had never been there before and were surprised at how much we liked it!  My husband and I really love seafood and were really impressed with all the options.  We didn't try the oysters, but are already planning to go back and we'll definitely try them then!

On Monday, we spent the day on Lake Murray on my in-laws boat.  It was a beautiful day and my husband impressed us all with his waterskiing skills!  I'm perfectly fine just being a spectator.

It was so nice having a short work week and having another great weekend, especially one that included a Gamecock victory!

Catching my breath!

Oh my goodness!  The past few weeks have been a whirlwind!  As the title of this blog says, I finally feel like I'm catching my breath.  I won't say things are slowing down, but things are becoming just a *bit* more manageable.  I can focus on one thing without having 5 other things running through my mind!


It has been really great having the students back.  I've loved seeing the tutors that I supervise, some of the students we led in our church's college ministry, and getting to know the students in my class.  USC will have their first football game in a few hours and that brings a whole other level of excitement to campus and our city!


I realized the other day that I am "senior"...sort of.  I'm starting my 4th year in my job and my 3rd year as a U101 instructor.  That has been kind of neat to reflect on because I've noticed lately how much more comfortable I am with aspects of both  my job and teaching.  They haven't necessarily gotten easier...each new year definitely brings it's own dynamic and set of challenges, but I've noticed I know how to respond better...I know what to expect...for the most part I know what works and I've tried enough things and realized what doesn't (but again, still learning!).  The credit for all of this simply goes to TIME!  Through trying and failing and learning, I've become more comfortable...similar to my years in college.  I loved coming back for my sophomore year because things weren't new anymore.  I knew where to go and knew how to handle things.  I still had a ton of growing to do, but time and experience definitely played to my comfort and confidence! 

Hard, but Good - The College Edition Part 2

The other day I shared some reflections on the lessons I learned in college.  I have a few more to share and these are probably more of my favorite!

Hard, but Good #4 - I used campus resources
My #3 lesson was that I struggled and had some tough times in college.  What helped me get through those various circumstances was using some of the resources that abound and are oftentimes free on a college campus.  When I struggled in classes, I went to a tutor or Supplemental Instruction or even scarier, I went to my professor's office hours!!!  Professors can be intimidating, but they are also human and they have their jobs because they want to help students and see them do well.  If you are really stuck with your course material, step out of your comfort zone, believe the best (what's the worst that could happen?!), and get your questions answered by the ones who know best.  Think too how it could pay off for you in the future.  If professors start to get to know you, they'll be more inclined to serve as a reference for you in pontential jobs or maybe share different opportunities that fit your strengths and goals.  As someone who does write a lot of recommendation letters, I know this is true!

In my role as Coordinator of Tutoring, I wish students would take more advantage of all the resources they have before them (I even wish I utilized more of the resources at my college!).  Don't just see a tutor or use a resource when you are trouble; be proactive about using them so you can stay ahead and grow.

Hard, but Good #5 - I got involved
Getting involved in college is often what makes it such a special and significant time.  This was true for me and many others I know.  I dabbled in a few different things before I found my niche so it's okay if it takes you a year or so to find where you really want to invest your time.  In college the key is quality, not quantity when it comes to getting involved.  The two most significant outside the classroom activities/experiences I was involved in were Cru, a campus ministry organization, and being a Summer Orientation Leader.  These two experiences really set the trajectory for my life.

Through Cru, I grew a ton in my faith and through that developed values and convictions that have driven almost all of my decisions and the way I live my life.  I even spent a few years working for Cru and formed amazing friendships and had incredible, life-changing experiences and opportunities.  Through being a Summer Orientation Leader, I realized I wanted to work with college students and being part of their college experience.  I even learned about the University of South Carolina and it's commitment to first-year students and ended up coming to grad school AND working here!  I also learned a ton about myself through that position and met some amazing people.

Hard, but Good #6 - I didn't date in college
Okay, please do not read this the wrong way...I am NOT against dating!!! :)  In college or at any time!  I LOVE love!  We need more of it in the world!  Did I want a boyfriend in college?  Absolutely!  I also think it's awesome that couples who did meet and date in college have those years as part of their story.  However, as I look back on the years I was single, I am so grateful I had that time to be challenged, to learn more about myself, to try new things, to learn how to make decisions on my own, to be independent.  And now that I've been married to my husband for almost year, I am even more grateful; he's my favorite example of God's perfect timing and plan. :)

So there you have it!  And sorry to end on a sappy note!  College is such a wonderful time and one that will (hopefully) provide tons and tons of memories, lessons, experiences, and friendships that will last your whole life!

Hard, but Good - The College Edition

In my world, Fall has begun.  I don't mean I'm eating apples, carving pumpkins, or wearing sweaters (being that I'm in SC, that last one is a loooong way off!), but I mean that my days at work are now centered around the Fall semester.  Our grad students came back last week, we've been in training all week, new students start moving in to their residence halls in a few days, and each day there seems to be just a bit more traffic in Columbia.

Seeing all of this and seeing that this blog is a place for my students to reflect on their first year of college, it got me thinking and reflecting on my first year of college as well as my overall experience in college.  As I started to thinking about it two themes emerged.  The first is that my time in college was probably one of the most significant moments in my life.  My 4 years at Miami University paved the way for where I am now, not just professionally, but also, and probably more so, where I am personally.  Some of the values I hold most dear were established when I was in college.  Another theme that emerged was that so many of my significant moments, lessons, and experiences from college could fall under a phrase we so often used while I worked in campus ministry - "hard, but good".  This means that things weren't always roses and butterflies while you were going through it, but in the course of time, you are SO grateful you had that experience and became better for going through it.  So here are a few of my "hard, but good" moments of college.

*Disclaimer - If you didn't do these things or had these experiences, please do not think that I think you did it wrong.  I definitely have a host of regrets from college and wish I had done some things differently.  This is simply a list of reflections from my own experience.

The prettiest campus there ever was! 

Hard, but Good #1 - Going to college far away
I went to a school that was 5 1/2 hours from where I grew up.  I always wanted to go somewhat far away and I'm so glad I did!  While in college, I met people from all over the country.  I met people who grew up in completely different ways than I did and who had such unique experiences.  I also met people who had very different views than me.  My eyes were opened up to just how big and diverse the world is.  I also think going far away to college gave me the courage to move and travel to other new places.

Hard, but Good #2 - I lived in a residence hall
It's hard to believe that I survived and thrived living 2 school years and 2 summers in a 12x12 room with a roommate, a twin bed, and a community bathroom.  However, living in the residence hall, especially my first year was so much FUN!!!  I met some of my best friends of college through knocking on random doors, hanging out in the study lounges, and most importantly, sharing meals together in the dining halls.  Such strong community and so many great memories were built in Collins Hall my first year of college that I cried pretty much every day of the last week I was there.

Hard, but Good #3 - I struggled!
I've always done well in school, but it never came easy for me, not even in high school.  I've always had to work pretty hard.  As it is for most students, college was not a walk in the park for me.  I struggled with some courses which eventually led me to change my major and find something that was more in line with my strengths.  Outside of the classroom though, I felt homesick, lonely, heartbroken, and stressed (one time it took me to the hospital!) more than once throughout my time at Miami.  However, I knew Miami was the place for me; it was becoming home; and I started to see that experiencing such things was life.  They were tough, but they would pass.  This is a lesson I'm still trying to learn!

I have a few more things I want to share, but will save them for the next post!  What lessons did you learn in college or if any of my students are reading this, what are you excited/anxious/nervous about?

High Five For Friday

It's been awhile since I posted on here!  I was really wanting to post something at least once a week, but got busy, went out of town, and honestly, I had a case of writer's block!  Yesterday I got a couple ideas for posts, but since it's Friday and I'll share my High Five Friday!

1. Last weekend we spent a few days in Charlottesville, VA with my mom, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew.  It was so great to spend time with them.  Charlottesville is about a 6 hour drive for each of us.  We stayed at a great little resort called the Boars Head Inn.  To our surprise, it has nothing to do with the deli meat brand, but it was so quaint and classy.  It's connected with the University of Virginia and the sports club on site is where their tennis team practices and has indoor matches.  That facility was incredible!  We also went to Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson, walked around campus, ate at some good restaurants, relaxed, and enjoyed time together!

2. It's Tax-Free Weekend here in South Carolina!  Having grown up in Pennsylvania and Delaware where there is no sales tax on clothes and shoes (no sales tax at ALL in DE!!!), I still cringe a little bit when my purchase is 8% more than what's on the tags.  Tax-free weekend is meant to be a perk for back-to-school shoppers so there's no tax on clothes, shoes, bedding, electronics, etc.  I don't really need much right now, but I'm hoping I can take advantage of the "holiday" and get down to the sidewalk sale on Devine Street here in Columbia which has some adorable little stores and boutiques.

3. The weather the past few days has been awesome!  Low humidity and low temps for July (never hit 90!).  I've been loving it!  This morning it rained pretty hard and there's rain in the forecast all weekend so that's kind of a bummer, but some times those rainy days are nice because you don't feel the pressure to be doing anything.

4. I love to cook and in the past few months and year I've tried some recipes that have become part of our dinner rotation.  We had two this week:
Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken
Chipotle Shrimp and Cheddar Grits

I don't have pictures, but trust me, they're great! :)

5. I broke down and got a parking pass for one of the garages on campus. I have mixed feelings about high-fiving this one.  Since I've been at USC, I always got the free parking passes which were, of course, for lots a decent walk away from my office. I just couldn't justify to pay to park at work and I also usually didn't mind the walk.  In a few weeks, though, my beloved free lot is being closed to be turned into an apartment building (don't even get me started on that!).  There is going to be another free lot, but it will be even further away.  The nice thing about having the pass is the shorter drive and shorter walk, which I was especially grateful for today as a downpour hit right when I got to campus! :)

Have a great weekend y'all!!! :)

High Five for Friday

I'm following in the footsteps of one of my favorite bloggers, Lauren Elizabeth, to share the highlights of my week in High Five for Friday.  It's been a great week!

1) Last weekend Steven and I had the honor of standing with our dear friends in their wedding.  They had a beautiful wedding and the weekend was filled with fun events and delicious food!

Love walking down aisles with this guy! :)

2) One of those foods was peaches!  My friend is from a town in SC that is known for it's peaches and since this is prime peach season, she used them as a theme for the wedding.  The bridesmaids carried baskets of peaches instead of bouquets, peaches were used in center pieces and as decorations, and they cut the peach, blueberry, and blackberry gluten-free cobblers instead of cake (my friend the bride can't eat gluten)!  After the wedding, those of us in the bridal party helped to clean up and in doing so got to snag the remaining peaches!  I added a few more to my "bouquet" basket and filled up another one.  This resulted in a peach cobbler for a Sunday school lunch, peach smoothies all week for breakfast, and a half dozen sitting in my freezer ready to become another cobbler or pie soon!  It was a very good week in this regard...peaches are one of my FAVORITE fruits!

They were as good as they look!

3) The weather the past few days has been awesome and very rare for July in SC.  It's barely hitting 90 around here and the humidity is low.  Steven and I have had some fun evening walks and of course it's made for some great hair days! ;)

4) Fridays are usually Date Night for us and tonight we are trying a "new-to-us" restaurant Il Giorgione.  It's an Italian restaurant that caught our attention (and taste buds!) because they make their own mozzarella!  We've been loving Caprese salads this summer so we're excited to try it out.

5) Last but not least, my sweet little nephew Landon turned 1 on Tuesday!!!!!!  This first year of his life has gone so fast and he's grown from the teeny-tiniest thing to a squirmy, wormy, goofy little guy.  He's been such a blessing and so much fun for our family!

Can't wait to squeeze and giggle with this little guy again!!!

Summer Loving

Today is July 7th, which means that it's almost the middle of July (it also means that the month and day add up to the year - 7 + 7=14 - 7/7/14!!!).  And it seems to me like whenever you hit the "middle" or halfway point, it means the end is quickly approaching.  With the end of July comes the start of August which for me means the start of school which means craziness!!!

We had such a great 4th of July weekend and it got me thinking last night how great of a summer we've been having too!  I'm already starting to feel a little sad that it will eventually come to an end!

So here's what has been making it great...

We're married!!!  Last summer had it's busy moments as we were in the last few months of planning our wedding.  Actually, it felt more like waiting for our wedding because a lot of the big stuff was done and it was too soon to work on the last minute things.  The back and forth trips to each other's homes every other day were starting to wear on us and since the end was in sight, we just wanted to be there already!!!  Now we're married and we have one home, one schedule, one set of groceries.  We're the Belles and not just Elizabeth and Steven.  There's so much I love about being married, but this is definitely up there as one of my favorites.  So far this summer, we've had some fun date nights, cooked some great meals, planned and hosted our Bible study, enjoyed time at the pool, and had a few weeknight adventures.  Our schedules aren't as full and Columbia, being a college town, also has a slower pace in the summer so the days overall have felt a little less hectic than usual.  So great! :)

The weather!  I live in South Carolina.  It's the summer.  It's going to get hot and it HAS been hot, but it really hasn't been unbearable.  Maybe I'm getting used it and maybe a trip up north helped too, but regardless, the weather has been really nice here this summer, especially this past weekend (Thanks to Hurricane Arthur!).  Last summer rain and storms seemed to be a constant theme, but so far there have only been a handful, which is to be expected, and they haven't really made a dent in too many plans or driven people too crazy...yet! ;)

Time off!  Our vacation to Delaware could not have come at more perfect time.  We were both needing some time off and some time away.  We had a great time and enjoyed perfect weather and, as I said in an earlier post, came back very refreshed.  It was an added bonus to come back to a 4 day work week since the 4th of July was Friday.  The long weekend was also so refreshing!  This week we're taking off some time to be in our friends' wedding and then we'll be taking some time off in a few weeks to see my mom, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew.  I love having things like this to look forward to!

Even though it may seem like the summer-like temperatures will never end, I know the pace of summer and "summer things" will in another few weeks.  Here's to savoring the remaining weeks of summer and being intentional about enjoying everything that's special about this season!  And don't worry...I'm nuts about fall! :)

When simple and familiar is always better...

The Friday of our vacation was date night for Steven and I and my sister and brother-in-law.  They were going out to celebrate their anniversary and the grandparents were thrilled to have a chance to have my nephew all to themselves so it also turned into a date night for us!  The week before we left for vacation, my dad had sent us a list of good local restaurants.  I probably spent about 30-40 minutes trying to figure out the perfect place...looking up menus, trying to find the one that would have things my husband would love (i.e. scallops or crab cakes!).

Before we left, I was pretty sure we'd be going to a seafood restaurant on one of the most charming streets.  Our plans changed a bit once we got to Delaware because we were recommended by two couples to try a Mexican restaurant nearby (We LOVE Mexican food!).  The first recommendation was from my aunt and her husband and the other the next day from a random couple who passed us while riding bikes and thought we were lost (We weren't...just had stopped to take some pictures).  We took the second recommendation as affirmation that we definitely needed to try it out.  Plans set!

Well on Tuesday night, my brother-in-law starts talking about a craving he has for fish tacos.  My husband also shared his affinity for fish tacos and we assumed the Mexican restaurant we were planning to go to Friday probably has great fish tacos so maybe we should all go try it for lunch the next day (we had other dinner plans the rest of the week).  My sister and brother-in-law had my dad watch my nephew and the four of us set off for our fish taco double date!

The restaurant was very cool, the food was really good, and we had a great time together, but the restaurant didn't leave Steven and I wanting more...especially two days later.  Back to square one for date night plans.

Usually when we go to Delaware, we get my favorite pizza Grotto Pizza at least twice, my brother-in-law sometimes gets it three times in the span of a week...it's THAT GOOD!!!  We had been on Tuesday night and thought we might get it for lunch later in the week, but it never worked out.  I was really starting to crave it again as the end of trip got closer and closer.

I would say I'm pretty close to being described as a "foodie".  I love good food, I love to cook, I love great restaurants, I love unique food made with the best ingredients possible, I don't like chain restaurants and avoid them at all costs, especially on vacation and here in Columbia where we have SO many incredible independent restaurants.  I had mentioned going to Grotto's for our date night in a half serious/half kidding tone.  My sweet husband said, "For date night?  I want to take you somewhere nice."  He also mentioned how we needed to take advantage of the Mid-Atlantic seafood.  I did agree with him and went back to perusing menus.

Friday came along and we still had no plans.  Steven was golfing and put me in charge of picking a place.  I confided to my sister that all I really wanted was Grotto's.  Little did we know that while they were golfing, Steven mentioned something about wanting Grotto's one more time to my brother-in-law.  When he came home, Steven said, "We're going to Grotto's!  A little birdie told me!"  At some point my sister told him I had wanted it and he shared how he told Matt he wanted it too.  I was so excited!

We had the best date!  The pizza was perfect and so was the company! ;)  We had a great rest of the night too looking for flip flops for Steven and going on some rides.  It was a wonderful way to end our vacation.  And as for that Mid-Atlantic seafood...it sometimes makes it way down here to the South, but I can't get Grotto's anywhere else!

Love doing life with this sweet, smart, and goofy guy!

Grotto's!!!

It's perfect!!!  And so is he! ;)

Vacation!

My husband and I just returned from a family vacation in Lewes, Delaware.  We were anxiously awaiting a week off and some time to get away and relax.  I was over-the-top excited to see my almost one year old nephew whom I haven't seen since Christmas!  We had a really great week!

The weather was perfect!  We had been having almost 100 degree, hot, humid days in Columbia before we left so we were loving the mild temperatures of the Mid-Atlantic where summer has just started to make it's presence.  The days were warm and the nights were cool...my favorite.  I love that temperature when you are perfectly comfortable wearing shorts and long sleeves or jeans and a tank.  Sometimes in Columbia, it feels like we go from winter to summer and only get a brief taste of spring.  I spent hours laying out by the pool or the beach and almost every day Steven and I took a bike ride up to a new bike path that runs parallel to the ocean.

We also ate plenty of delicious food and my summertime Delaware favorites - Grotto's pizza, blue crabs, and Dolle's caramel corn.  All those bike rides helped to not make us feel too guilty about indulging, but we're still planning to do some food detox.  No extreme juice cleanses for the the Belles yet...just maybe not having ice cream every night and pizza three times a week!

My beach read this year was Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist.  I  loved reading about her heart for food and hospitality.  It makes me excited to continue to incorporate these things into my life.  I just finished the book last night so I'll share another post soon on more of my thoughts.  Needless to say, I'm glad she wrote that book!

Probably my favorite part of the trip was showing my husband one of the places where I grew up and also seeing my nephew experience some of those things for the first time.  Have you ever been somewhere and thought, "I would love to be here with someone I love!"?  Once I got into my college and post-college years, I often thought that every time I went to the beach.  I loved being able to make new memories with Steven in a place where I already have so many!

We had a wonderful week, but are also so glad to be home.  So glad to be back into our routine a little more refreshed and of course, so glad to be back in our bed! :)

My First Blog!

Hello World!

I'm starting a blog!  Over the past few years, I have loved reading blogs.  I have gotten countless ideas for recipes, outfits, how to do my hair and make up as well as encouragement, empathy, inspiration, and of course some laughs.  I so enjoy reading about the things bloggers are loving and learning.  I love hearing that perfect strangers both appreciate and struggle with the same things I do.  I also love how blogs are a way to chronicle the every day moments of life.  It's a like the scrapbook or photo album for the 21st century (that is if you aren't counting Instagram!).

There have been many times when I considered starting a blog, but I quickly dismissed it because I felt like no one would want to hear what I had to say.  It could be true, no one could care, but I want to do this for me!  I want to create a place where I can reflect and collect memories and share the things I am loving and learning.  It's a little scary, but I hope to take baby steps and just start becoming comfortable with this space.

Another reason why I want to do this is for the students I will be teaching in the Fall.  I teach a freshman seminar class at the University of South Carolina and I recently went to a conference that covered various topics on how to have a successful and meaningful class.   At one of the breakout sessions, the speaker shared how she had her class create blogs.  When I heard that I realized this was the perfect opportunity to start a blog myself and have some accountability to keep up with it each week along with my students.

I also really liked the idea of giving the students a more modern place to reflect on what they are learning and experiencing during their freshman year and hopefully beyond.  At our university, the importance of reflection has really been emphasized and those of us who work directly with students have been encouraged to incorporate opportunities for reflection after significant experiences.

I love the idea of reflection, but it does not come easy for me.  I definitely like the idea of reflection, but often downplay it, thinking I'm wasting time because I'm not "doing" anything or producing something.  I am hoping this space will encourage me to grow in reflecting on the moments in my life regardless of how major or mundane they may seem.

So here goes nothing!  Welcome to my world! :)