The Land of the Pines

Its time for another "random update" blog, list-style.

1) Arrival
I made it to NC! I left Chicago last Friday, packed all day on Saturday, and drove somewhere between 12-13 hours on Sunday to arrive in NC. Stella did a wonderful job fitting everything I own into her little Grand Prix self, and Karen the GPS saved me on more than one occasion with directions in an Australian accent. She also got very angry with me any time I decided to stop somewhere without telling her. I'm sure no one is shocked to hear that I talked to her too. 12 hours is a long time in the car people.

B. Can you hear me now?
The drive was absolutely beautiful, and the mountains were worth the patchy cell phone service they created.

III) Reality
I am officially teaching 7th and 8th grade science at this point. After teaching chemistry over the summer, I am now pretty excited for that assignment. I drove down to my school yesterday, met the principal, and got a tour. I even saw my classroom and the spare room I can use for labs if I want! Things are becoming more and more real, and in less than a month, I will stand in that classroom and greet my first class!

Fourth: Home
Yesterday, we signed a lease for an apartment! Let me just say that cost of living down here is AMAZING. It was a huge relief to have that figured out and get everything I own out of my car and into a locked building. Our complex is adorable. We are definitely in the younger generation there, and if we ever happen to be home on Wednesday afternoons, we are invited to join the ladies in the clubhouse for bridge. The manager already refers to us as "my girls" and to herself as "Grandma." My old Buicks would have fit in well in the parking lot :)

Cinco: Sovereign
While I am missing people and Indiana and working really hard to get all of this stuff done, I have been amazed at how easily everything has happened. I mean, there is a lot of work that needs done and have been plenty of moments of stress and confusion, but, at every single turn, I'm reminded that I am not the one running this show. One thing after another has turned out better than I could have even thought to hope for. God continues to show me his power and love, and I'm humbled as He reveals his sovereignty. My life is not my own and I'm seeing daily what a blessing that truth is.