Changes...

Well I haven't posted a blog in a long while, (about 2 months now...yikes!), but I feel like I should post one now as an update...

Justin and I have spent the last two weeks or so preparing for and moving to Thomasville, GA. The whole thing has been a whirlwind- we moved out of our apartment in Jacksonville at the end of February when we got back from our cruise. Knowing that Justin had been applying for firefighting jobs all over Florida and in other areas, and knowing he had some leads on jobs out of town, we didn't want to commit to signing another lease and be stuck in a situation that would cost a lot of money to get out of. So, in faith that Justin would get a job somewhere, (though not knowing how long it would take), we moved in with his Papa. We were prepared to stay there a while. We settled in and stored all of our stuff wherever we could fit it. I loved living there near his parents, and as apprehensive as I was about Chloe living outside full time, she loved it!! Everyone was right in saying she was an outside dog, she truly loved it. Plus, her grandparents were always around to love on her too :) So about the time we get settled in and get used to the idea of living with Papa, Justin takes a few days to interview at Thomasville, and gets the call that he got the job! Without even really thinking about it, we decided to take this opportunity and go for it!! Within 2 weeks we quit our jobs at Sonny's, sold the lawn business, packed everything up again, and rented a U-Haul... By March 28th we were hear, in our new home...

So far, it's been all kinds of different emotions for me. I felt excited that we moved and took this big chance together. I've felt really secure in the fact that Justin has this new great job that he not only loves, but that is stable with pay that is very predictable, (not to mention the health benefits...). I've felt happy and excited, but I've also felt kind of sad... I always was an advocate for going where the job is and moving away if we had to, (I grew up moving around as a Navy brat so I figured it was just in my blood at this point), but I never realized how it would really feel. We went from being close to both of our families and seeing them all of the time to now living about 3 hours away, (which I know isn't far at all, but still it's a big difference). It took me a few days and a few phone calls home, and everyone telling me to give it a try before I get too upset, and now I have to say, I'm settling in and getting used to it.

The pace is a lot slower here. We have a lot of downtime. We have a lot of time to spend together. We walk Chloe every morning and every evening. I've cooked dinner more these past few weeks than I ever did in the whole past year I think, and i've been loving it! Justin starts his 24 on/ 48 off schedule today. Another thing for me to get used to- sleeping alone, yet he will have 2 days off in a row which is exciting. I started my new job yesterday which I really like so far, it's exactly the kind of job I pictured myself in before we moved. I see my sister a lot more since she is about 45 minutes away in Tallahassee. Overall, it's been really good. I came to the realization yesterday that this is exactly the kind of life I always pictured us having, I just didn't think it would happen so fast, haha. But God has a plan for us and it's our job to follow that plan as best as we can, because when we do, there will be so much abundance in our lives... After I finally accepted the fact that we have started this new chapter in our lives, I have been able to embrace it and really enjoy it instead of trying to fight it. After all, the only thing that stays the same is that everything changes...

So I wanted to post this blog as an update, and what update would be complete without pictures?! Below are a few shots I've taken just of downtown and some of the highlights of Thomasville that we've explored so far... Enjoy!

One of the two water towers in town

First Baptist Church of Thomasville

(We went here this past Sunday to try it out!)

The Scoop an ice cream shop Downtown

...more downtown...

How could I not love a city that has a statue of a lab?!

...more downtown...

Storefront of Relish, where I work <3

At Home in Thomasville

(They carry OPI which I was so excited to find out!!!)

Billiard Academy and Grassroots Coffee

This past Saturday we walked around downtown and had the best chili dogs and Coke in glass bottles from Billiard Academy, 4 chili dogs and 4 cokes, all for under $15!! :)

And finally, this was our Sunday after church project... We added the pavers, pine straw and pretty flowers!! Now our new apartment feels much more homey <3

Vacation in 18 days, 9 hours, 1 minute, and 48 seconds!!!

I am so so excited!!! Justin and i are going on a cruise on February 21st and I can't wait!! Justin has never been on a cruise. I have been on 2 in the past but I am so excited to be able to share this experience with him- it will be really nice to take a vacation together and relax and have fun :)


Chloe will be spending the week at Pet Paradise. She stayed there over Thanksgiving vacation as well when we went up to N.C. to visit my family. I'm pretty sure she really liked it there. She gets her own private kennel that is half inside/ half outside. The outside part looks over the courtyard where he gets to watch the other dogs swim in the doggie pool. Of course, she gets her own time to play and swim as well. She loves to swim <3 When we pick her up she is happy to see us and very tired which tells me she had fun playing with her friends.


It is nice to know that Chloe is safe and happy while we are away- if I didn't have that piece of mind I wouldn't be able to enjoy my vacation, lol.

Times of Plenty & Times of Famine

Genesis 41:17-57 has been one of my favorite passages that I've read so far this year in my daily Bible readings. In this story, Joseph (whose personal struggles and story are pretty amazing all their own up to this point), interprets a dream for Pharaoh. In his dream, Pharaoh encounters seven fat, healthy cows followed by seven ugly, scrawny cows; he also sees seven full, good heads of grain followed byseven withered, thin heads of grain. Joseph tells Pharaoh, 


"The dreams of Pharaoh are on in the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one in the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows thatcame up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine... Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them."

Joseph tells Pharaoh that he should choose a wise man to take control of the situation and lead Egypt through this time of abundance and famine. Pharaoh chooses Joseph, (pretty smart move). Joseph handles the situation in a way that I think teaches a valuable lesson for everyone, especially in today's society:

"And Joseph went out from Pharaoh's presence and traveled throughout Egypt. Duringthe seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. Joseph collected all of the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities... Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea... The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, and seven years of faminebegan, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food."

To me, two valuable lessons stick out at me from this story. Lesson #1: Obvious- get while the gettin's good, but make sure to prepare for the future. This was actually the topic of one of our church sermons a few weeks ago, preparing for the future financially. We try to be good stewards with our money. We pay our bills, we try to save as much as we can, and most importantly we tithe every week. (Therewas a time when tithing, like daily Bible reading, made it to the bottom of my priority list, and I can attest to the fact that tithing makes all the difference.After all, if God can't trust you with what he does give you, why should he give you any more?) Storing up the abundance we are blessed with now is so crucial because we never know when something might change and we are in a worse situation that isn't as abundant. After all, the times we think are times of famine could really be times of abundance, it is just our job to realize it and be good stewards. Which brings me to lesson #2.

Had you asked me 6 months ago I would have probably said that the phase I was in personally in my life at the time was a time of famine, but I would have been completely wrong. Lesson #2: 'Abundance' does not solely mean monetary wealth. Getting married and finishing school, waiting on full-time jobs and learning to balance the rent, insurance, car payment, and all of life's 'necessities' has produced it's fair share of financial challenges along the way- but there is so much more to living an abundant life than having a lot of money. Justin and I are incredibly blessed that we are able to make enough money to pay all of our bills on time, we don't have any debts, and we still have money left over to do things we enjoy, but we are by no means wealthy when it comes to money. The things we arerich in are so much better though: love, joy, happiness, peace. We have great families and friends who care about us. We have each other forever and ever <3 We have Chloe :) Most importantly, we have God in our lives to guide us, to protect us, to provide for us- the way he did for Egypt.