So after much hiatus from blogging I am back again. I cannot believe that last time I posted I had just come back from Italy. Let's just say a lot has happened since January. I'm not exactly sure why I never made the time to blog during the last 8 months. Yes I was busy, but not to busy to watch tv and spend countless hours on social media. I guess I sort of wasn't in a very much of a writing mood due to all the writing and reflecting I was required to do for novice teaching. Although again I will be required to reflect and blog (link to that later) for student teaching there was just something about starting this new chapter of my life that I made me want to come back to blogging again. Starting school always gives me the inspiration to write again. 

As I sit in my comfy bed after my first day of student teaching orientation I am tired, excited, nervous, and very ready to start my adventure into taking full charge of a classroom. While I know of my students and sort of about what my senior seminar will be like, I cannot wait for Wednesday to come and for classroom 12 to be filled with energetic 2nd graders. I have been anticipating this day almost since my freshman year of college. It seems crazy to think that the day has almost arrived. While I am excited to be a "real" teacher soon, I also find myself sort of at a loss on how fast college has gone by. I stayed at my old roomie, Sarah, and friend Victoria's apartment this weekend and it hit me how "real" our lives have become. Those girls have their own apartment, have to make their own meals, and take care of things like buying groceries. Someday not to far away that will be me. But for now I will spend my time living at home and taking advantage of the freebies that it provides. Don't worry Mom, I know the freebies are over in December. 

Living at home will be quite the bittersweet experience for me I believe. 

While I love having my own room with my big comfy bed, there will be no walking down the hall to hang out with some of my best friends or having pillow talk before we fall asleep.

I am so excited about the school I am placed in, but I am not with or close to any of the other schools that my fellow teachers are at. 

Hanging out with Kristen and my cousins, swapping teacher stories and attending football games (I am so excited for fall because it means I get to watch high school, college, and pro football) will be awesome, but I will miss going to soccer games and eating with my friends for multiple meals per day. 

One of the biggest things I think I am going to miss is being part of the Trin community and going to Outcry. Hopefully I'll get to make it to at least a few this semester :)

Even though right now I am sad that I may not be living on campus, I made this decision for a reason and I know that their is a purpose for this season of my life. (if only to save a good chuck of change... HA!)

Despite everything I am feeling very encouraged about the current semester! I am excited to get to be known as Ms. Karlock (Getting called Mrs. seems to me a long way off for me #singlegirlprobs) again and get to teach my kiddos about all sorts of fun things. So here's to the great journey my fellow teachers and I will embark on this semester. As my friend Josh reminded me today God's got our back and as long as we stay grounded in His word we have nothing to worry about :) 

-A