a brand new blog

Growing up, I wanted to do something great.  I entertained the idea of nursing, going to law school, becoming a banker, going into broadcast journalism (I went so far as to intern), just to name a few.  I had the grades and the family support I needed to go to many competitive schools (here's lookin' at you, UNC) and to give it my best shot at becoming those things.  The world was at my fingertips.  But my heart said no.  No to nursing, law, banking, journalism.  I knew what I was meant to be, but I couldn't bring myself to admit it.

I will never forget a particular car ride with my mom.  I was 17, and I was driving us to the mall.  We were talking about me going to college, what I wanted to major in, and I kept beating around the bush.  She finally cut me off and said, "if money was no object, what would you do?"  And, right there driving over a bridge, I finally said it out loud, "I would teach."  And my mom said, "Then that's what you should do."  The following Monday, I applied for the Teaching Fellows scholarship.  I accepted it that spring, and I've never looked back.  

That fall, I went to a college I never expected to go to, majoring in Elementary Education.  I fell in love with Appalachian State and the people I met there, including some of the most wonderful friends in the world and, oh yeah, my super cute husband :) 

After graduation, I spent my first two years teaching first grade at a low-income elementary school.  Those two years hold some of the best and hardest times of my life so far, and you can read about my journey of faith through it all here.  In the midst of it all, I was dating the most selfless human being I've ever had the pleasure to know.  We started dating just as I finished my undergrad degree, so he has seen my career from the very beginning- good, bad, ugly, and everyday mundane.  More than my career, he has seen me- good, bad, ugly, and everyday mundane- and he asked me to marry him anyway :)  We got married 10/18/14, and being Garrett's wife is one of my favorite blessings.  

At the end of my second year of teaching, I felt called to something different, something new, so I put in for a transfer.  As much as I wanted it, I still cried when my transfer request was approved.  I was offered positions at two schools- one elementary school, one middle school.  At crossroads like these, I've learned to step out of my comfort zone (or sometimes be thrown out), and so I accepted the position at the middle school to teach 6th grade math and science.  

Did I mention that both of these transitions have happened in the past 6 months?  So that brings us here.  To a brand new blog.  This is my story of navigating marriage and middle school.  Welcome to it :)

-Kayla