My Time at Hickory High

Two and a half years ago, I closed a chapter of my life and started a new one. I started a whole new career in a place I didn't know a soul. I was desperate for change and eager to learn. I traded in my DSM as a mental health counselor and entered the school counseling world! I still had to travel half an hour to work everyday, and I had to get up earlier, and I couldn't wear jeans anymore. I didn't know how much I'd love it, but like I said, I was eager and ready!

Graduation 2014

I joined the staff at Hickory High School mid-year, which I don't ever recommend for a brand new school counselor. I had a lot to learn and asked my team members a million questions. I learned quickly and there was a handful of students who I gained actual relationships with who I was able to help in my short time with them before they graduated that June. That felt nice!

The next two school years I had the wonderful experience of working with some of the best in the business, seeing how things really work in a school, gaining some unforgettable relationships with some of the most amazing young adults, and doing what I could to help my team, my students, and my school.

Graduation 2015

Graduation (morning) 2016

Growing up, going to Lincolnton High, I had Wolfpack pride! Especially after my years at Appalachian State, my "pride" colors were black & gold! For a few years I will admit that I cheered for North Lincoln High School, but that was only because my brother was playing football for them. After he graduated, that wasn't a thing. I luckily got to put my black & gold back on for a couple years when my cousin Nick played football for LHS. That felt good to pull for my home team again! (If you know me, I'm not usually at sports events unless I know the players. I'm their fan, not really a "sports" fan, ESPECIALLY if it's cold out.) So when I joined the staff at Hickory High, I have to admit, it was weird. I have never been "a part of" another school before, aside from Lincolnton High. I didn't own anything garnet & gold... sounded like Redskins colors to me!!

Slowly my wardrobe grew and I now have approximately 700 Hickory High t-shirts and random garnet & gold wardrobe staples and accessories. When people around town (Lincolnton) would see the magnet on my car of the Hickory High logo, they'd ask, "Why do you have THAT on there?" and my reply would always be "That's my school!" and I meant it. Hickory High had become my new home. I was proud of my school and my students. I loved my job. I didn't love the commute, but I loved working in Hickory, you know, near Hobby Lobby & Target. If I'm going to live in Lincolnton without sufficient shopping, I might as well work in a town that I can shop in, amiright?!

I gained some close friendships at Hickory High in  my coworkers, but what I value the most is the relationships I formed with students who (I feel) really needed me and I was able to help. I know I didn't get to "save" them all. Heck, I know some of my students didn't even graduate. But don't think I wouldn't stop on the side of 127 if I saw them walking down the road to ask them why their butt isn't in school. I love my kids. I truly care about my kids. I will be in their corner, root for them, advocate for them, and do whatever I am able to see them succeed. Trust and believe that. I love working in such a diverse environment. Hickory has it all. The low of the lows, the high of the highs. (Is that a saying? If not, you get what I'm saying.) I mean that in academics, as well as in socioeconomic status. It has students who can't read on a middle school level. We have students who can get into whatever college they want. We have homeless students. We have students who live in mansions. I LOVE the diversity at Hickory High. I think because it reminds me so much of the diversity at Lincolnton High. I'm a sucker for oneness, living together, and learning from each other.

I have learned through my time at Hickory High School that I can. I can learn. I can try. I can do. I will fail. I will learn lessons. I will succeed. I also learned that home is where you make it.

My HHS baby shower in January 2016

June 14th was my last day as a Hickory High Red Tornado. It was a very sad day for me, but it helped that I was hurrying to pack up and head out because the building didn't have air conditioning, haha!! I will obviously miss it, but am excited to start a new chapter in my career, as a Fred T. Foard Tiger! I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me there. I've heard nothing but great things about the school. Hickory will obviously hold a special place in my heart, but home is where you make it. :)

*See story below :)

*Funny story: Returning from maternity leave, I needed to pump at work to continue to breastfeed KJ. Twice a day, I had to go in my office, lock the door, pump, and pretend I wasn't there. The first time I did, I must have forgotten to put a sign on my door, so my amazing pal, Frank Pait, put this sign on my door. Now that's love!! I used it every pump session for the rest of the year. :) I am going to miss the friendships and moments such as this-- just simple signs that say, "I got your back." Poor Mr. Pait, surrounded by all those women!! Haha!! 

Saturday I am thankful for: Girlfriends

I've really enjoyed my day. I slept in this morning, had some yummy leftovers to eat, caught up on Grey's Anatomy, and I think after that is when the cleaning fairy possessed my body. I basically took the entire refrigerator apart, washing every piece, and organized everything. A feeling of accomplishment set in after that was complete...so I headed to the bathroom to clean my shower & toilet (weird) and then put all my clothes away & did laundry. On my "day off!!" I don't know what overcame me....but it was a definite possession. A nice hot shower snapped me back into reality & my laziness kicked in while I painted my nails & watched a Lifetime movie with Mom. There are some seriously hardcore Lifetime movies coming out lately...and I must say that I don't think all the profanity is necessary, Lifetime.

Luckily, my friend Erika was free for dinner & spent probably two hours in that Mexican restaurant, just chit chatting about all things life. I sure am thankful that girl is in my life! Now here I am, with the Encyclopedia of Counseling in my bed with me, just having consumed the yummiest Reese's Blizzard from Dairy Queen, and about to start studying for my test Friday.

Y'all know I don't want to study. So I am opting to blog instead at the moment. Forgive me for being me & you can thank my talk with Erika for sparking this motivation of mine. :)

I just want to say shout from the rooftops that I am so incredibly thankful right now. I am at a point in my life where I feel like God is blessing me with amazing girlfriends. There was a time when I felt like all my girlfriends were too busy living their own life to even notice what I was going through. That's a crappy feeling, feeling like you don't have any or many girlfriends. I have "always" had my best best friends. Unfortunately my best best friends haven't lived in the same town as me since 2005. Luckily, these are relationships that have maintained and no matter how far they are, we still take time to talk, know what's going on in each others lives, and knowing we would always be there for each other if the other needed it. These are also girls that I could go months without talking to (but luckily don't) and the next time we talk, still be as close as ever. I consider these true friendships and I feel really blessed that these friendships have lasted over time, over distance, and over life circumstance!

my best best friends ♥

Now, I have "my time in Hickory" to thank for creating some great friendships. I don't get to talk to these girls as often as I did when I lived on campus, but I still consider these girls wonderful friends and love love love catching up with them whenever I can! I also am extremely thankful to have such a lasting friendship formed with Mrs. Lindsey Jervis in the past couple years. I feel so honored to now be her children's GODMOTHER! Unfortunately I no longer live in the same city as any of my Hickory girlfriends or Lindsey. :( Stupid distance! Thank God for cell phones & Facebook!

But since I've moved home, I've got to grow friendships with some pretty awesome ladies. I really have Group 212 to thank for that mostly. I love making friends at church because you know that you are both there for a common goal and don't have to worry about those friends putting into tempting situations or surrounding you with negativity. I've really enjoyed getting to know these girls better and spending more time with them. It always seems like we have a good time, no matter if we're out doing something or if we're standing in some parking lot talking!

♥ my girls

Now, last but certainly not least, I am feeling the love that I am surrounded with on a DAILY basis! I love my co-workers. I unfortunately don't have any pictures with them....yet! ;) They are so encouraging, positive, uplifting, helpful, and hilarious!! A great combo to have in someone you will spend most of your time during most of your days with. I am realizing more and more lately that great co-workers are hard to come by, and that just makes me feel more and more blessed!!

THANK YOU LORD for surrounding me with those who lift me higher :)

You know I need it bad

and You always give me what I need. ♥

Reality Check

It just hit me. I go back to Hickory in less than 2 days. This Christmas break is almost OVER.

Did I tell you I had 11 {yea, that's not a typo- I said ELEVEN} papers to write before mid-January & planned to do some over break? Well, guess what...I didn't. Did I tell you I wanted to get on a good sleep schedule while I was at home? Didn't do that either.

My first week of break was full of last  minute Christmas things and spending time with some of my friends I hadn't seen in a while! then came the two days of Christmas, followed by a *fabulous* snow storm that started Christmas morning, and then a couple days of Christmas clearance shopping... and then the rest is a blur!! Time has flown by and that is not good!!

It's funny about time flying...it flies when you don't want it to & ticks slowly along when you're anxiously awaiting something! That figures. I guess we all need to learn to cherish those special moments because they'll be gone before you know it and to be a little more patient and a little less anxious for those things we are waiting on. Easier said than done....*trust* me!

Now that I know it's coming I am anxious ALREADY. What was that...a whole one second before I quit practicing what I was preaching?? Great, Nicole... I say I'm anxious only because I dread what's coming...packing the car up & heading back to Hickory, only to need to unpack things, get things ready for the upcoming semester, taking down Christmas decor at my apartment, getting things ready for the new transfer freshmen coming in, oh, and those eleven papers I mentioned above. So much for a peaceful week before school starts!! I am just ready to get the car packed up and get up there and get it all DONE! I do *not* want to start this semester off with a messy apartment and a to-do list a mile long.

One thing I am looking forward to is living back in Hickory. I've probably gone to Hickory six times in the two weeks I've been home in Lincolnton. It's about a 25 minute drive, but six times...with rising gas price!! It gets old after a while. All my favorite stores are in Hickory & I do my grocery shopping at the Super Wal-Mart. {Lincolnton needs to hurry up & get theirs up & running!} Hickory also has something else Lincolnton doesn't have....and that, my friend, is a *Starbucks!*

I have never been a Starbucks coffee fan {therefore I don't usually go to Starbucks} but I found myself with two $5 gift cards, {much} thanks to sweet Maylen and sweet Maggie. :) I went up through the drive-thru and said to the man behind the speaker, "What do you have hot and non-coffee tasting?" He listed a couple seasonal-sounding drinks that sounded a bit nasty to me, until he said the beautiful words..."and we have a caramel apple spice." My world will now never be the same.

Starbucks.com says, "If you’re longing for the toasty warmth of a woolly blanket and crackling fire but don’t have the luxury of escaping to a cabin, we suggest a freshly steamed Caramel Apple Spice. Prepared from 100% pressed apple juice sweetened with cinnamon syrup, whipped cream and our own buttery caramel sauce, it strikes a soothing balance between sweet and tart that never fails to hit the spot."

Doesn't that just sound delicious??? Trust me, IT IS! I get it with no whip cream on top {and usually spill it all over my arms as I am walking into class}. Just go ahead, take my word for it, and go on out & get you one before they quit selling it because I'm sure it's a seasonal drink! You can thank me later.