August

 August

Here we are people. The end of another month. Well actually the start of a new month because I am queen procrastinator and I’ve had a lot going on. Sorry not sorry. It still counts. 

When I think of August I think of hellos and goodbyes. 

This month I said goodbye to the carefree version of myself who only really had to deal with my own concerns and problems. That side of me is delightful, let me tell you. I was so relaxed all summer. In saying goodbye to that version of myself, I said hello to Ms. Bandy, the school social worker, whose job essentially is to carry the concerns and problems of 400+ students. Of course I know it’s not my burden to carry alone - I couldn't make it if it was - but dealing with challenging behaviors, unstable emotions, and family crises are normal parts of my days now. It’s the job I want. And the job I love. But it has been an adjustment shifting that weight and responsibility back onto my shoulders. I couldn't go further in this moment without giving praise and glory to God for continually teaching me that HE is the ultimate burden carrier and He wants to help me carry it all. What a beautiful gift. I’d be lost without Him. 

I said goodbye to more weight - I’m close to 30 pounds down now.  And I’ve said hello to a new found appreciation for my body and what it can do. This stuff could be a whole blog on its own - and maybe one day. I’m thankful for the physical changes I saw in August, but even more than that, I’m thankful for the changes I’ve seen mentally and emotionally. Our physical bodies are tied to so much of our emotional, mental, and spiritual condition and it’s something I’m constantly learning. I will gladly say goodbye to self-doubt and hello to confidence. 

Maybe my favorite hello and goodbye of August was saying goodbye to singleness and hello to a new relationship. I’ve been dropping subtle hints in the past few blogs, but since we became officially official in August, now seems like a good time to drop the subtleties and just come out and say it. I’ve got myself a boyfriend people! Can you believe it?! I’ve thought about this post for a while. Am I ridiculous for writing about him here? It’s personal and private and I want to hold it close to my heart where it’s safe -but I’ve always tried to use this little space of the internet to share about my life. I have talked about my singleness in these posts, so I think it’s ok to talk about my relationship too. While the details of our story are adorable and totally make me swoon, I don't think that’s what I will hold the spotlight to. At least not now. For this moment in time, I just want to take a second to praise God for the way He has been working in this relationship. I know we’re just at the start and I’m full of optimism and heart eyes for my man, but God really has been working and I can't help but thank Him. God has always been good and faithful and loving to me, but I’m seeing that in different and deeper ways through this new relationship. What an unexpected gift. I’ve had so much fun with this sweetie sweet man of mine and I cannot wait for my favorite season and all the glorious fall activities ahead for us. 

It seems as if I could keep writing and keep sharing, but I think this is where I’ll end things. 

Hello September. Goodbye August. 

All my love.