So Long, Farewell

If you thought this was me saying goodbye to my little corner of the internet...
you're wrong.

Instead, I'm saying goodbye to my little corner of my home state -

And saying hello to new adventures in a new state.

As we were looking at the map of our new home, Zuzu strolled up casually and said "Michigan? Isn't that a blue state?" Tom and I stared at her with mouth-gaping awe, until she pointed to Lake Michigan and then we were much relieved.

I am filled with such great excitement. Tom and I have felt pulled by God in a different direction for some time; we just weren't sure what he was really asking. We kept exploring different avenues and coming up with nothing, and then the way this opportunity fell into our lap was really miraculous. We feel truly led to this place and this work, despite our shortcomings and haphazard process of discernment.

It's been over a year since we started praying about what God was asking of us and here we are - oh here we are. Yesterday I closed my front door for the last time, walked down the driveway that we had redone, climbed into my mom's car, and drove away. It is surreal. The memories in that house! In this town! Has it really been almost five years for our family, nearly seven for Tom?

So, without further ado, here is my walk down memory lane - that I have been working on for about six weeks, which is what happens when I try to blog and move and raise a family all at the same time.

On our way to a football game...this wasn't in Naples, but Tom was just about to move to Naples! 

We got hitched at the parish that took a chance and hired Tom after three years in seminary and then about a year kicking around Tuscaloosa. I moved to a new town, had all the wedding events, and then was married and moved into Tom's house. I had never lived in any other part of Florida, had no friends in town, and was a bit overwhelmed! 

So Tom and I hung out a lot - we went to the Botanical Gardens (below), explored the surrounding area, and just generally enjoyed being in love. My mom would come down and help me take on projects like cleaning up the porch and painting. 

And then...baby makes three. 

Jen was living with us! The good old days! 

A baby means a baptism! 

We had so much fun when Zuzu was our only little love. Since we knew that we could not take it for granted that we'd have more, we soaked up every moment of her babyhood - what if it was the only one we got to witness up close? We loved it. 

Many birthdays were had in our sweet little house...

One:

Two:

Three:

And we discovered the news that we were welcoming another baby! 

And David Gregory was born! The Monday of Holy Week 2015. 

What a full Easter! 

And life with him was so, so great - and so, so much harder! 

Another baptism...

Lots of sibling love! 

But then, shortly afterwards, we had to say goodbye to our Auntie Jen...

And just a short time later...it was time for us to leave too. 

Though I often complained about Naples - the relentless heat, the skewed demographics, my house without a sewing room - I suddenly found myself overwhelmed with love for this place where we became a family. For Decembers that still allowed diaper-clad babies to eat popsicles outside, for neighbors that were always willing to come over and talk about home improvement projects or sewing ideas. Beach sunsets year round and Panera right across the road, not to mention Royal Scoop ice cream just a bit away! 

So deeply sad to say goodbye, so exciting to see what God has planned for us here...

Coming soon - updates from the land where is snows in April!