Change

So believe it or not, my little brother Ben has inspired me to start this blog! I read somewhere that having a blog is a great way to document changes in your life and if anyone is dealing with changes, it's me. On Sunday I was driving home from soccer thinking about everything that's changing or going to be changing and I felt like I wanted to call someone and just gush about all of it. Problem being, all the people I would call already know all about it and are probably sick of hearing me go on and on about it. This is when inspiration struck, at the stop light at Hayes and 18 mile while I was reading Ben's blog on my iPhone (I know, huge no no!) I decided to start my own. So enjoy...

Change. If you know me at all, you know that change usually does a number on me. My mom is fond of reminding me how, as I child, I flipped out when my parents changed the living room furniture while I was out of the house. I like to think that I've gotten a little bit better at dealing with change over the years. I mean come on! I work with high school youth! Things never are the same! However, I still have a hard time when my carefully worked out plans are disrupted. Although I do try to keep the freak outs inside my head so that no one actually knows how crazy I am.

So here is it, I currently work as the part-time High School/College student minister and part-time art teacher at Immanuel Lutheran Church and School. I've been working here for over three years, ever since I graduated from college in 2009. Over the last year I've come to the realization that I really do not like being a student minister, if fact I hate most of it. I do however, love teaching, students, and art. The few months have seen me back in school at Oakland University taking classes so I can be certified as a K-12 art teacher since I already have my bachelors in Ceramics I'm pretty much set to go after I earn that certification.

When I let Immanuel know that I had decided on this career change, we set my end date for June 30th and I am counting down the days.... I literally have a paper chain in my house! In August, I will start student teaching and in January 2013 be a fully certified art teacher in the state of MI.

Also at the end of June I’m leaving the apartment that I have been living in for almost three years. I won’t be able to afford that type of housing when I’m student teaching because I won’t actually be employed. In fact I will be dipping into my hard earned savings to pay for the privilege of teaching others.  Fortunately I have amazing friends and one of those friends has a grandma who has a spare room that I will be staying in.

If you didn't notice before, There's a whole month gap between the end of my time at Immanuel and the start of my student teaching. Yet another change! I have decided to spend that time overseas teaching and doing mission work in Russia! I always have an itch to travel and see new things and what a better time to do it! I also really find enjoyment in serving others and meeting new people. I’ve been raising money
(if you want to donate, here’s the address https://my.crossculturalsolutions.org/Login.aspx?username=ecgau44), filling out paper work and learning Russian since January. I’m in a complete state of excitement for this opportunity!

Change: going back to school, leaving my job, student teaching, moving, living with someone else, crazy trip to Russia! ....

There is so much change happening in my life and by my own admission someone should be committing me to some sort of institution at this exact moment. I do have have mini panic attacks about finances or the unknown or not being able to feed myself on occassion. But for the most part I am so excited! These changes, they are good. They are needed and long overdue. I can’t wait…