It's been almost a year and a half since Jamey and I moved here in wedded bliss. He has lived in Georgia all his life, but I grew up in Nebraska, with the flat, rolling plains and the wide open sky. Sometimes I miss it. Sometimes I feel claustrophobic and seek out wide open spaces so I can finally breathe. Moving to Georgia was a little bit of a shock, with all its tall pine trees and busy freeways and densely-packed humanity. Although I was horribly homesick during those first few months, I soon realized that living here, a thousand miles away from the only home I knew, was a necessary challenge. Here, I am able to stretch my wings. Without the support of all my friends and family nearby, and far away from the peace of my comfort zone, I am learning to stand on my own two feet and make a life for myself and Jamey. And slowly but surely, Georgia is starting to feel like my home - because I've found that all I need to create a home is a place to live with Jamey. And my kitty. I always swore I'd never have a cat, but somehow she found her way into our lives and it's been one of the best things for me, having a little furry companion.
The best part about our marriage isn't the romance and fuzzy feelings. Those come and go. But knowing that I have someone by me through thick and thin - starting married life with a slim bank account and lots of love, working hard to provide for our little family, moving from our tiny apartment into a two bedroom rental house that felt like a castle in comparison, and saving saving saving so that we could put a down payment on a house. Our very own home. There's nothing quite as rewarding as setting goals as a couple, working hard to achieve them together, and sharing the excitement when all your hard work has paid off.
One week from today, our goal of buying our first house will be achieved, and then we get to start the process of transforming it into our home. I have so many DIY projects dreamed up that I just can't wait to start on. I plan to document some of those projects here as I complete them, and also capture our everyday happenings. But for now, I'm going to cherish the moment, remembering all the frustrations of delaying gratification so that we could achieve something better, and yet feeling like that day would never arrive, and also the times that unexpected blessings happened that enabled us to reach this moment faster than we had hoped. God is truly good all of the time, even when we don't deserve His goodness. For that, I am thankful. I never imagined that I would be where I am today, but am so thankful for this life I have, and so in awe of the road that led me here.
