Post Graduation

Ok so I admit I'm not the best at keeping my blogs up-to-date! A whole lot has happened since my last blog in October! I finished my internship at ABCCM on December 7th. It was really hard for me to say goodbye to the residents & especially hard for me to leave my co-workers who I had spent time getting to know outside of the office. I still think about some of the residents on a daily basis. It breaks my heart to know that some of them feel so hopeless & depressed because they can't find a place that will hire them or a landlord that will accept their past or their Section 8 papers. I learned so much during my time at ABCCM! I can't even begin to list everything I took away from having work with over 29 homeless women! I would tell anyone & everyone to volunteer at a homeless shelter because you will walk away with such a grateful heart & a new perspective on life.

I graduated from Western on December 15th! It was such an unforgetable day! It was so amazing to look up in the stands & see my family waving at me, taking pitures, and smiling at me! I loved every second of my graduation! As soon as I walked off the stage & realized I had my diploma in my hand, I thought, "man it was all worth it! this moment means everything!" After the ceremony & all the pictures & all the celebrations, my parents, Nick, & I stayed the night at a hotel in Maggie Valley. I would have to say that that night was my favorite thing out of everything from graduation weekend! I can't really explain why except to say that it was a laid back, quiet, & intimate night since it was just the 4 of us! The next morning when we woke up in Maggie Valley, it was snowing outside! Having Nick there during my whole graduation weekend & being there the day after graduation, miles away from home, I realize that the rest of my life had started! I cannot explain the peace & calming feeling I had that morning, I can just tell you that Nick is who I will have in my life for every new journey I go on!

Since graduation I have come home & moved back in with my parents. I have been busy hanging out with Nick & applying for jobs! I have been a litte discouraged by the amount of social work jobs hiring in Raleigh. I plan on working full-time until I go to grad school in August of 2009! I'm not too worried about my future & what jobs I'll have because I know that God knows exactly what He's doing with my life & it's gonna be awesome when it all pieces together!