One year ago I had this life changing experience at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna beach. I attended this writers workshop that counted as a class towards my degree but it ended up being a time I'll never forget. You can read about the whole thing in my very last blog entry that I posted here a year ago. I sit here and reflect on my year and my goodness has there been some changes. I'd say that 2015-2016 was the time in my life that so much changed when I didn't even plan or expect it to! This time last year I was about to enter my final semester at UCF! In Fall of 2015, I took 18 credit hours!!!!! Everyone thought I was insane. I had a full time internship as well as managing Coldstone. I am basically super woman. So finally the time came, December 18th, 2015; I became a college graduate only three years after being a high school graduate. I started my internship at Corner Lake Middle School in a 6th grade class and I was completely unsure of what would happen. After my first internship, I felt discouraged and unsure of being a teacher all together. I planned on graduating with my bachelor's degree and going right on to my masters. But the world had other plans for me. I FELL IN LOVE with teaching. The students, the school, everything! In November, a month before I even graduated college, I was offered a teaching position at my school and I couldn't turn it down. I graduated and began my CAREER that I always dreamed of only three weeks later at only 22 years old! I was so scared at first but so determined and excited! I was thrown in with 8th graders and boy did they give me a challenge. These students were horrible to me. They had no discipline and lacked so many skills! It was so hard at first and I certainly wanted to give up in the beginning but they finally got used to me. They finally started to listen and do work and say hi to me in the hallways. And before I knew it, the school year came to the ending. Today was the last day of school for my 8th grade kiddos. They are headed off to high school! Even with all the ups and downs and the hard times they gave me I will NEVER forget this group of kids. They were my very first students! These kids allowed me to live my dream! I can't be a teacher without my students and I can say that I loved them all (even the bad ones). We came a long way in just 5 short months but we made it!
Other changes include me finally retiring from Coldstone after 6 long years of dedicating my heart and soul into the company, I finally decided to move on. I stuck with it as long as I could but I was managing the store AND teaching full time and I couldn't continue to dedicate my time and energy into something that wasn't my students. They needed me more than Coldstone and I made my transition. It was hard coming to terms with but I finally did so and I feel happy with my decision.
And finally, one of the biggest and best changes of the year was my sister giving birth to the MOST HANDSOME BABY BOY I've ever laid my eyes on! Jayden Thomas Martino was born on April 15th and my life was changed forever. I am the most obsessed Auntie and I just cannot get enough of my nephew's cute little face! He is almost two months old and I already think he is growing up too fast!
I have certainly been blessed this year. The "adulting" has been real and it certainly is a struggle to accomplish but I am trying my hardest. Life is amazing and I am so happy to be alive to experience all of these journeys with the most incredible friends and family!
Just in case no one has told you yet today, you are beautiful!
Love, Lex <3
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