"A Pirates Life for Me"

Ahoy Matey! 

It's been over a year since I even looked at my blog. I've started this incredible journey so why not pick it back up? I'm a grad student after all I have all this free time. HA! Yeah, I've got jokes.

Since I moved from Georgia (a little over a month ago) it's probably safe to say more things have gone wrong then right.

In March got accepted to East Carolina. Where is that even? Greenville, SC? No. Greenville, NC. To be honest I applied to the school because it was the next closest school from home after UGA. You see, I want to be a Child Life Specialist and it's becoming a very competitive grad degree program to get into but very few schools offer the program. I decided to take a leap of faith and move 9 1/2 hours away from my comfort zone to follow my dreams

SO...
In August I moved.  As I was driving on I-75 North I received notification that I received an assistantship. I knew at this moment I was going to the right place! I went to orientation and in between events sat on a bench crying. I texted my friend and was informed that I could do this. I just needed to keep going. I then met the 2 other girls in my program and I was then approached that I was going to be granted a tuition remission. Again I walked out saying "Thank you God. You always provide." I was elated. I got in the car with my dad, celebrated with CFA (where else, I had to find it!) for lunch and then we moved me into my very first "big girl" apartment.

THEN CAME THE TESTS OF FAITH...
I celebrated my first birthday alone, luckily the friends I met met me outside class to yell "happy birthday!". This was a hard birthday for me. I made it through with a smile on my face. 2 days later my car was broken into. I was ready to go home. It's loud in my apartment complex, people are rude, I'm not used to so much alone time and to top it off the work is so overwhelming. I haven't slept a full night since I moved. I'm tired. I just can't catch a break. I remind myself daily "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Over and Over I would tell myself that. Why should I be afraid. I can sleep at night and feel safe because God watches over me. Always. Yesterday I cut my finger and spent some time in the ER. Not going to lie, even at 23 I was terrified to be in the hospital by myself (yes, I want to work in a hospital with children). I also found out there is a big chance (like 95%) I'm not going to be able to go home over the summer. Take a breath. "All things work together for good".  I haven't spoken to my best friend hardly at all since I moved. We're growing apart. The one thing I was most afraid of happening. I miss him. I hope I'm wrong.

My friends have been steller through all of the ups and downs. My rocks. The people I know I can turn to whenever I have a breakdown and just want to cry. I've also met people here. They are Christians and we are figuring out grad school together. See, things haven't been all bad. My assistantship professor is awesome, my professors are all great and I'm keeping up with my school work. Best thing yet, I just finished my first of many rounds of observing in the Children's Hospital and I am in LOVE with what I will be doing when I grow up. Oh my goodness I can NOT WAIT to get to that point! Thank you God for giving me this dream and leading me to where YOU wanted me to go.

I'm running again. I'm falling in love with something I never imagined possible. I may not like it here but I do believe it's where God wants me. It's time I give up pining for that life I had at UGA. I'm in a new place, starting a new phase. God is with me so I have nothing/no one to fear. I live a very blessed life. It's time I embrace the things that are happening around me. If I don't I'll just be a misplaced Georgia Bulldog my whole life. That doesn't mean I won't always bleed red&black. Because I will.

It's time I give up that dream of grad school at UGA, its time I give up that nothing bad will happen to me, people grow apart and move on, people grow closer, things happen for a reason. I can post-it note and canvas my apartment until I have paint everywhere and a cramping hand but until I actually let go and give everything to God these tests of faith will continue to overshadow the good things that are actually happening here. Good things are happening here. I have just been focused on all the negative things. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss the life I had. God's plan is better than anything I could even begin to imagine. I'm ready. Bring on the rest of my life! Arrrrrgh!

Katie