Right On Time

I needed this today.  It is important to remember every "set-back" is really just to keep us grounded.  Sometimes it seems like more things go wrong than right.  BUT when we have something good happen at least we really appreciate it. 

Best Medicine

Wine + Best Friends + Good Food + Good Conversation = better than any medicine a doctor could give you...  AND I am lucky enough to do it two nights in a row.  I have seen some of my friends through the best times and the worst times and I am thankful they are there for me too.

Inspiring

A friend showed me this video and it's so powerful.  You never think it could happen to you or anyone you know but this song proves that cancer is a part of life.  However, the support that you get from others can make or break you during that emotional time.  Get some tissues... this one is definitely a tear-jerker.

Old School Messages

I definitely inherited my love for sending/giving cards to others from my grandmother.  She still sends me cards with handwritten messages at least once a week.  They usually talk about what is happening in her life, my families' lives, and her saying something to make me realize how much she cares.  Now these are in normal handwritting either.  She writes in calligraphy on every one of them.  If there is a holiday, she sends one for sure and I don't mean Christmas and Easter...  I am talking everything from The 4th of July to St. Patrick's Day.  My grandmother, "Mamaw", has been sending me cards for as long as I can remember.  When I was younger, I used to read them then they eventually ended up in the trash.  However, once I got to college, I realized just how special they were.  I began keeping them and now I have a whole box.  It's nice to be able to look back on them.  Some are addressed to me from my Mamaw and Papaw.  My grandfather passed away my sophomore year, so these are nice to have as memories.  One day when my grandmother passes away I will have all of these cards to remember her by.  Anytime I check the mail, I am always eager to see if she has sent me one.  I look forward to getting them and they never fail to leave me with a smile.  I also hope to keep the tradition going by sending cards to people I care about.  Emails, Facebook, text messages... they just don't do the same thing as a nice card.



Two cards I received from her recently.



School's IN

Tonight it finally clicked.  I was out to dinner with my new team of teachers and I realized I start working TOMORROW.  Where in the world did summer go?  I have been so busy trying to find a job, I didn't actually think about having to go to it. ha.  Tomorrow I will begin my first day at OP.  It's only a workday, but I am excited to meet everyone and have a fresh start to the year.  It's so nice to be at a new school with a new room, new grade, new team, new coworkers, new everything.  When I saw that class roster of 24 new students, I was so thrilled.  There's something out that list of names that just makes you smile if you are a teacher.  Even though I know nothing about any of those students I wonder about them - what they are like, if I will have an impact on them, if they will learn a lot from me.  I am looking forward to the year.  Time to get back in Ms. Carswell mode.  Wish me luck!!  Pictures to come!

The College Days

Tomorrow I am moving my little sister into college.  I still remember walking into Holshouser at UNCC 5 years ago with so many emotions.  I was SO excited yet very nervous and scared to be on my own.  I remember being with Courtney (who I felt like I had known forever) that day while we tried to make that little dorm room our home full of black and hot pink everything.  I also remember the emotional goodbye to my family and watching my dad cry for probably the 2nd time in my whole life.  Courtney and I met up with new and old friends that night, including one of my current best friends - Jordan. 

Tonight I am going to visit Maggie.  She was one of the people who helped me transition into college the most.  It's also kind of ironic that I will be helping Keri move then heading to Courtney's engagement party tomorrow afternoon.  Where does the time go?  When did I get old enough to be attending this stuff?

I am thrilled for my sister, yet scared out of my mind thinking about some of the stupid things I did when I a freshman.  Oh well, she has to learn somehow. haha.  Freshman year was by far the best... meeting new people, joining my sorority, frat parties, being independent; I wouldn't change a thing.  So here's a little trip down memory lane:  freshman year of college style.  Some of these are quite funny (especially the fact that I loved some kissy face).

It's The Little Things

It's the little things that can really make your day great. Like...

- Getting that first big scoop of pb from a new jar for your pb oatmeal breakfast.
- Finally finishing a 522 page book.
- Realizing you do have an umbrella in your car when you get caught in a storm.
- Getting a J-O-B and not having to stress about it anymore.
- Having numerous calls and messages from people congratulating you.
- Having a Hot Yoga date with a good friend, followed by froyo with another.
- Coming home to a package of new boots like these...

Yes, a GOOD day full of little things (and some BIG) that end up making it something to remember. 

Some Like It HOT

Last night I went to my usual Tuesday night hot yoga class.  I walked into the room with my yoga neccessities thinking it would be like any other class, but I quickly realized it was going to be different.  The instructor said we were going to be practicing horizontal yoga. My thoughts were "Oh, great! I am finally getting used to this and learning all the random foreign words and now I am about to look like an idiot again." But she went on to explain that we were doing everything like normal but with our mats facing the window instead of the mirror.  She said, "This will give you a new perspective.  Sometimes in life we get so set on our ways that we don't try new things or try to better ourselves.  This will allow you to do that here and I challenge you to look at something in your life from a new perspective."  Yoga is deep, huh?

I went through the class sweating like a man, but thinking about how right she was.  I saw certain things I was doing wrong in my postures that I could not see before. I saw how I should be correcting something with the way my body was positioned just from looking at it in a new way. I realized that despite the 107 degree temp in the room, I wasn't thinking about how I felt like I was about die of a heat stroke.  Instead, I was loving the cleanse.  (I also saw this beautiful guy in front of me the whole time and occasionally had trouble concentrating on things other than him. BUT that is besides the point ha.)

Now it is up to me to see that my past experiences have happened for a reason and any future opportunities I need to go into with an open mind and a positive outlook.  I am one that likes routine.  I like doing things out of habit, but trying new things or thinking about why certain things in your life are the way they are can make a huge difference.  Sometimes all you need if a new perspective.

The Dreaded Monday

Mondays are always my least favorite day of the week.  I mean really, who loves a Monday?  I have been fortunate to not have to work on Monday over the summer.  BUT this Monday means leaving the family beach trip and heading back to reality.  Here's a little something to make your Monday morning better (and possibly faster?).

I READ!!

I have never really enjoyed reading.  I am not one of those normal people who reads for pleasure.  I usually read only in the summer when I need something to pass the time while I bake in the sun.  I have finished TWO books now - yes, actually from beginning to end read the WHOLE thing. 

 

The first, Heaven is for Real, was an easy read that I really enjoyed.  It was amazing to read about this little boy's experiences when he died and went to heaven.  Then he was revived and able to share what he saw with his family.  It will give you chills! 

 



   

I just finished Always Something There To Remind Me.  I have always enjoyed Emily Giffin's novels and this author writes alot like her.  She is a little more raunchy, but who doesn't love a trashy love story?  This book is very good and makes you really think about true love.

Beach Babe

My beach vacation will have a little of this...

some of this...

and a LOT of this...

and of course some shopping in there too.

"Sometimes a vacation is all you need."

Bring It On

"Every story has an end, but in life, every ending is just a new beginning." - Uptown Girls

This quote really speaks to me right now.  If you know me, you know I am a HUGE planner.  I have a plan for basically anything you can have a plan for.  Recently that has proven to be not so much of a good thing, because when that plan doesn't work... it is upsetting.  My "dream" life plan has definitely been altered lately which proves to me even more that I must remember God has everything mapped out for me.  I don't get to choose when, where, how, etc.  But isn't it so comforting to know that we don't control everything?  There is always someone bigger, better, and more powerful looking out for you.

So now I am currently unemployed, single, and without a plan.  Three things that are very new to me.  I've been stressed like any normal person, but now I am determined to not let the uncertainties stand in my way. I must be positive about what the future might hold.  I have so much to be thankful for - my amazing family, my supportive friends, and my good health.  In a way... a new beginning is so liberating.  So hello life, BRING IT ON!!

To Blog or Not To Blog?

I have contemplated starting one of these for quite awhile.  I kind of thought I just did not have anything interesting to talk about.  Recently I have seen how several of my friends have posted inspiring messages that really make me feel better at a certain moment.  So I thought, WHY NOT?  I can be a blogger.  I will give it a try.  Sometimes you're a leader and sometimes you're a follower... in this case I have become a definite follower.  Now maybe you'll "follow" me.

The next step was to think of a name.  This is actually a hard task.  I asked several of my friends what they thought might be a good one.  I asked them to recall something that I do or say that makes me unique.  Two of my dearest friends (thanks Maggie & Sara) both told me I say "you know what I mean?" after every statement or story.  I guess it's one of those bad habits you don't know you do unless someone points it out.  I have no idea how it started but I guess I just really like to make sure people understand me?  So here is my attempt to tell you and the rest of the people who might read this what I really mean.  To new beginnings and new blogs...