stories from our home

Our little family has been in Carrboro for 6 weeks or so. We are enjoying the gritty, granola, art-loving community. The town is friendly and has many great local eateries, shops, and a wonderful farmer's market. Just a few minutes east is Chapel Hill, which is just lovely. We have enjoyed Friday nights at the Carolina Inn listening to live music and watching kids run around. Evening walks down Franklin St. have also been a highlight. We've also driven into Durham to visit friends and check out some of their restaurants.

Jon has started his first round of summer classes, so he is at school most of the day. The business school hosts many socials; I've only been to a couple but am looking forward to spending more time with his peers.

Miriam is over 8 months old now - hooray! She is crawling (very quickly), pulling up, standing, exploring everything. Our days are filled with swimming in the pool, taking walks, dance parties, napping, and meeting up with friends. We have also been so lucky to have lots of people visit already! I can't wait to discover more in our town and hang out more with other moms.

Enough with the words now... here are some photos! :)

last weekend in Orlando!

at Gigi's

at Gigi's with Aunt Mandy

first time in a swing!

playing with cousin Davis at Gigi's

our first weekend in Carrboro - going to a wedding

Miriam at the Old Well - on campus at UNC

oh... just reading.

at the pool!

Miriam with her buddy Charles

kissing!

date night!

M with buddy Mason

more reading

favorite bathtime friend

with great-aunt Willisia

*matching*

"I'm 8 months old!!!"

so big

8 months

swimming with Davis

everyone in the pool!

dinner in a train car!

Over five months have flown by since the last time I posted, and so much has changed with our small family.

After a lot of hard work and determination, my husband has chosen to get an MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill this fall! I am proud of him and excited that he will be a Tarheel! We are thrilled to be back in NC in May - close to many of our family and friends. And I am really happy to be living in a state with 4 seasons. :)

Since February, we have been living in Orlando. Jon has an internship and we have loved visiting with Jon's family during this time. I've also enjoyed the warm days and cool nights. Miriam is more fun every day. She is learning and exploring and giggling. We love watching her grow into a bright and cheerful little girl. I really can't sing her praises enough; she has been so adaptable and resilient during all of our transition! It's hard to believe that she has been with us for 6 months already! What a blessing. Lately, she has enjoyed jumping, dancing, rolling, cruising around, eating bananas and sweet potatoes, saying da-da, jabbering, banging, shrieking, reading, and watching the palm trees blow in the wind.

The last couple years have felt like a whirlwind... honestly, more like a hurricane. The Lord has surely kept me in the eye of the hurricane, but the winds have obscured much of my view. I am thankful for the Lord's protection and the people He has sent to help support us, but it feels good for the storm to be dying down. It was dark and, at times, very lonely. Coming up for air, I have been gripping the promises of God - that there is a season for everything, that He is always present and never slumbers, that He intimately knows me, that He will never abandon me, that He will give me joy and peace. The Lord has taught me a lot about myself and for that, I am very thankful for I know He is committed to my growth.

Lastly, here are some baby pictures!!! (you can also find a lot more on instagram and facebook)