Moving on...

It's a pretty bittersweet day. 

I am packed up and ready to move, ready to leave the place I've called home for the past 2 years. 

I moved to Austin on a whim.  I thought it sounded cool and I had nothing holding me back.  There have been some major ups and some major downs these past 2 years, but I have to say I don't regret the decision at all.  It was something I needed to do before I made a permanent home somewhere.  I've moved to 2 cities where I didn't initially have my family or a host of friends, and it's an experience.  That experience is one that I think everyone should have at some point in their life.  I'm glad I got mine out of my system early and now I'm ready to hole up in a city with family and friends and never look back. 

This move is making me reminisce about my first 2 years on the job.  Wow! is all I have to say.  Grad school prepares you, but doesn't at all.  On the job training is crucial and I had some pretty amazing teachers during my time in Austin.  If you know me, then you know I'm pretty emotional and sentimental.  Saying goodbye to my students has proven to be more difficult then I thought.  It's amazing when I think about the student's I got last year and the cluelessness I faced as I worked with them on their goals.  Then I look at them today and think "holy cow"!  Students that you couldn't understand a word out of their mouth or were completely non-verbal, now are working on /r/ and have to be told repeatedly to be quiet because they are talking too much. Working in the schools is such a great thing because even after you dismiss a student you get to see them in the halls and see all the hardwork in motion.  It has also provided me with the creativity required to work with 60 kids on a caseload with varying speech and language goals.  That need for creativity led me to this blog. 

This blog has truly become such a wonderful outlet for me.  I selfishly started it to keep track of my ideas and it's turned into this thing that I can't even wrap my head around.  I mean my name was in the ASHA Leader (sorry 'humble brag' right there).  It has been so cool to connect with all of you through email, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and I just really love this little community we have.  Everyone is so supporative and understanding.  I have a bad day with naughty students and I guarantee someone has had a worse day and we can complain together (so much more fun to complain with someone than at someone). 

I hope this isn't a TMI post, but I feel like all of you that read my blog and send me wonderful, encouraging emails have become like an Internet family to me.  My real family has to deal with my emotional state so why shouldn't all of you?!?

These next several weeks I plan on driving 1,200 miles in a U-Haul truck with my lovely brother, spending hours upon hours of playing and snuggling with my niece, going on a family vacation and getting my brain power back to start a new job and navigate my way through an unfamiliar city.  So basically what I'm trying to say is, I will try to continue posting as much as I can, but please understand if I slack off just a little.  You all understand, right?

Thanks for letting me get all cheesy with you. J