A Home Away From Home

This coming Tuesday, June 10 marks the one year anniversary of us moving to Winston-Salem. It was a year ago that we finished packing up our home and started a new beginning here. It has gone by so fast, and so much has changed since then so I thought a blog post was in order, I'm posting now since we will be out of town next week. 

We have grown so much as a family while living here. We have had to rely on each other like never before, and it's been really good for us. Our marriage has been stretched like never before and I can happily say it's made us stronger and closer. Leaving Richmond was hard. There are times I still miss it so much. It still feels like home when I go back to visit, but more and more so Winston is feeling like home too.

I love our church here. It took us a lot longer to find a church home than I expected. It's been really good for us to get involved, hear new perspectives on things and continue to grow in our faith. I love the people we have met here, and hearing their stories and what God has done in their lives, it's amazing. About 2 months ago we finally joined a community group and this has given us the opportunity to really connect with other couples who have children as well. I can't say enough how Twin City Community Church has been such a blessing.

I absolutely love the running community here. After I had Chloe I knew I wanted to get back into running, so I made the goal to run the Richmond Half Marathon. When we moved I wondered if that goal was still possible as I knew I couldn't train alone. I found a running group at Fleet Feet, and I found friends in my pace group. I love the friendships I've made here. Even after training ended we stayed in touch, continued to run together and have plans to train for another half together this fall. I have pushed myself in training more than I thought possible. The terrain in Winston is very hilly, and I was so scared to run them. Although there are still hills I need to conquer (like Brookstown) I am ready for the challenge. I will also say the YMCA here has been so great for us as well. It gives me such peace of mind to know I can drop Chloe off at a place where she is loved, and well taken care of. She happily (most of the time) goes into child watch with a smile. 

There are other things I love about Winston too. My friend Kelly who I met through a mom's group and her daughter Olivia. We love playdates with them. I love the real sweet tea, our house, the pimento cheese, the greenways, the parks, the southern charm, new favorite restaurants and new places to explore. 

This move has been good for us. A year ago we felt God was calling us here. Telling us this is what he had for our family's future. It's great to see those things come full circle. 

There are times when I wonder how long we will be here. Sometimes we think about moving back to Richmond. Sometimes we think about staying here forever. One of the biggest things I have learned from this move is although I feel this need to plan out my life, there are some things that we must leave to God. God will show us in his time what we should do next. It's something I struggle with continually. 

So Winston-Salem is my home away from home. Maybe Richmond will always feel like home to me. For now, Winston is. I'm incredibly grateful that I have so much to be thankful for in this city though. So here's to one year in Twin City, and here's to another great one!