Why???

Why in the world would you leave Houston, TX, the most populous city in the Southern US, with 2.3 million people in 2017 to go to Shippensburg, PA, a small town with roughly 6,000 people?  Well, after being asked that question a number of times over the past month, I felt it necessary to let you know our answer.

Honestly, family is our #1.  There is NOTHING better than being around family.  NOTHING.  Simply put, our family is the only reason we needed.

But, here is our story.  We never thought we would leave TX.  When we were moved there in 2010, we thought that was it.  God wanted us to stay there.  It provided a lot of fun activities for us to do and allowed me to become a stay at home mom.  I'm not sure that would've happened had we not moved to TX.  Anyhow, moving there provided warmth for my parents to come and spend 2-3 months out of the winter with us and to enjoy being snowbirds.  They did that for all but 1 yr of us living in TX.  We enjoyed all Houston had to offer.  We loved going to Galveston, we were members of the zoo each year, we loved visiting the Children's museum and museum district and thoroughly enjoyed having visitors and showing them around.  Dan made lots of friends at work & although the first 5 years of us living there he traveled for work, we were blessed.  We joined Lake Houston Church of the Nazarene within a few months of us living in TX and stayed there all 8 years.  We made lots of friends there & I have many women there who simply helped me walk through life.  We adopted Clara there.  Something that we never thought would happen and it did.  We homeschooled for a period of time there and most of all, we made friends that would become family to us there.  So, we were more than convinced that we would be there for life.

Well, God's way is always the best way.  This past summer in June we made a road trip home.  We spent a couple weeks going around and visiting our loved ones.  Dan then flew home to TX and the kids and I stayed back an additional couple weeks.  We had so much fun.  We soaked in love and enjoyed the small town fireworks for the 4th of July, the kids caught fireflies and we visited family.  We honestly had a blast.

While the kids & I were in PA visiting, Dan & I were talking on the phone when he told me there was a job opening in PA.  We talked about it, about all the particulars to the said job and prayed.  We decided it was not the right fit for us, so we let it go.  Fast forward to the kids & I arriving home and Dan telling me another job had opened.  Same thing.  We prayed.  Talked.  Trusted this wasn't meant to be.  By the beginning of August, the 4th, yes 4th, position in PA came available.  Ok.  It was really time for us to stop being selfish and pay attention.  I couldn't shake the feeling that it was time to move home.  So, we prayed.  We talked to my parents, who immediately said we should apply.  Dan & I prayed some more and he applied.  We felt like we had to do it and if God didn't want it, He would shut the opportunity down *he had done so in the past*.  Well, with the government jobs, things don't typically move very fast.  So, we kept living life & prepared for a wait.  Dan applied on a Thursday & by the next Friday, yes, 1 week later, we knew he had the position.  We were in shock.  Honestly, there were parts of us at that moment that wanted to scream noooooooooooo.  But, we didn't.  That began a whirlwind of preparing to move.  The entire move was a God miracle.  Our home in TX had increased in price since we bought it and since we didn't flood last year with Harvey it was even better.  We sold our home within 72 hrs of placing it on the market, having multiple offers to choose from.  We seriously were blessed.  Although we sincerely miss our friends there in TX (and we genuinely do), we are glad to be home.

So...why a small town you ask?

The sweetness of hearing the church bells ringing in the middle of the day and playing a Christmas Carol in the morning is something I will never tire of.

The quietness of the night is amazing and to be able to see stars again is beyond beautiful.

I've been called honey, sugar, sweetie and doll more times in the past month than I was ever called in TX.

The small local stores are something to behold.  They are amazing & I have loved shopping them.

Sometimes it is annoying, but horse and buggy's are a sight & sound that is sweet to me.  It's neat to see others and how they live simply.

Of course, there are sweet, sweet things I love about being here again, including Sheetz, Scrapple, Farmers Cheese, Small Schools (Oh & the fact that BOTH of my children are in public school for the first time ever) and many more things.

The fact that I was in town to celebrate my moms 80th birthday was awesome.  It was the first time in 8 or more years that I have been with her for her birthday.  So, being able to have a family lunch and celebrate her was amazing.  Being able to see my parents each day is incredible.  Something I will not take for granted.

So, those are a few things I love about being back home.  What do I miss?  Oh, I miss my friends in TX.  I miss the warm weather in TX, although come summertime I'm not sure I'll miss the high heat.  I am semi enjoying the cold here.  Honestly, today I thought how great it was to feel like Christmas.  Yes, the cold temps have made it feel like the holidays.  I'm sure come February I'll be sick of it though.  lol  We collectively miss our church.  We haven't found our new home church here yet, but we know we will in time.

Why should you visit me in my small town?  I'm so glad you asked!  First of all, because it's US!  WE are here!  But, also because we live roughly 40 mins from Gettysburg.  A little over 2 hrs from Washington DC, Philadelphia & Pittsburgh.  Plus Hershey is only an hour away & who doesn't love some chocolate. I know it's not the beach, but.....chocolate!  hehe  So, plan it.  Plan your trip.  Come enjoy our small town.  I promise to give you southern hospitality and love on you.

So for now, I'm off to enjoy my 1st Christmas at home with my family.  Love to you all!