Unintentionally Long Hiatus

Yes, I realize it has been awhile and I didn't intend for it to be that way.  So much happened in the past few months that I just decided I needed to focus on the things that desperately needed my attention and unfortunately my blogging love got pushed aside.  What I originally intended as a short (few days) break turned into several weeks as much as I didn't want it too, but I was giving so much of myself everywhere else, I just didn't have it in me to do more here.  Part of this had to do with me losing someone that was very close to me in January.  He was ill and we knew he didn't have a lot of time left, but it's still been hard to deal with, which is part of why I needed to take a break from something (and school wasn't an option) so I stepped back from here.  

But life is getting a lot better and a lot less hectic now.  As of this coming Saturday I will be a Master's graduate from Loyola with my M.Ed in School Counseling (job searching is also fun, let me tell you!), graduating with a 3.8 GPA, Chi Sigma honors, the whole nine yards.  I've loved the time I've spent at Loyola and am (somewhat) sorry that it's coming to a close but I'm also looking forward to the future.  Plus, I'll be back there in a year for another certification anyway, so I'm not saying goodbye to them for long.  I've also gotten more involved in the professional organizations (more time commitments!) and will actually be attending the American Counseling Association conference in March 2013, in Cincinatti OH.  I'm going in part to honor one of my professors who is ACA President this coming year for all he's done with ACA and with Loyola (he's unaware of this, so shhhhh!), so I'm looking forward to that.  

So I'm getting back into  this here starting today.  I'm sorry I was away for so long, but ultimately I think it was what I needed to do to get through my last semester and everything else I've been contending with since January.  I do see Blogger has a new layout, and I kinda like it, so I'm going to play with that for awhile.  

Thanks to those of you that stuck around and welcome to those that are reading for the first time!  :)  I promise to not disappear for so long again.  

Stephanie