The joy of Autumn

Gorgeous Autumn weather has arrived here in the mountains of NC! I had forgotten about how amazing it is to see the hills and mountains turn into hues of yellow, red and orange as the leaves lose their green. It has been such a joy to take walks and drives with Toby and others, sharing in God's creativity. I want to take a picture everywhere I turn, but the pictures just don't have the same brilliance as the real thing. We have done a few projects with the leaves and photos though, which has been fun.


I really missed the Fall Festival at Grace EP Church in MD this year :( But we have taken in some other local Fall activities this month. Like pumpkin picking, Hey Day festival at our small zoo, painting and carving pumpkins, picking (mostly bug-infested) apples from our tree in the backyard, and hosting a Halloween party with some of our friends from church! Toby was thrilled to be Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story, "To infinity, and beyond!" and "Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!" he said as he flew around the house. It was Toby's first time participating in Halloween, and he had a blast! We made fun decorations and shared a great night with other preschoolers and their families.

I continue to feel so grateful for the community that God is providing for us here. There has been more strengthening of friendships as we share life and God's grace together. I was able to attend the one night Women's Retreat a couple of weeks ago (thanks to my mom for watching Toby!). It was so refreshing to be away, get quiet, hear from God, and deepen some relationships with sisters from church.

Let me take a moment to share how God met me. The topic that weekend was Godly manhood and womanhood. By the second day I was feeling overwhelmed and saddened with the reality that I would be teaching Toby about his manhood. That he had lost his awesome earthly model when Anton died. I was vulnerable and honest with my friends, and they supported and loved me well. Then we moved into devotional time. I was still very emotional, so I decided to look in Isaiah for the passage about how Christ is the husband to the widows, and father to the fatherless (a passage that I have clung to since we lost our husband and father). I couldn't find it, but in my search God lead me to this verse: He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:11 The Lord reminded me that HE tends his flock, that HE has brought me close to Him, that HE carries me, and HE promises to guide me as a parent. It is not about me, it is about Him. All I need to do is allow myself to be carried close to his heart, which is the safest most secure place to be.

It has been really wonderful to go to the weekly Women's Bible study at church too. For all the reasons I listed above about the retreat, but also to get to know the church body at large a little bit better, and to have some accountability to be in the Word more consistently. I am hoping to become a member at Trinity sometime in the next few weeks!

Let's see, what else to report...I still don't have a job. I have not found any part-time Oncology nursing positions that are currently open. So now I am trying to decide whether to wait a little while for something to open up in this specialty area, or to pursue a different area of nursing. There are pros and cons to both. God has shown his provision for us again, however. I am now receiving widow's benefits from Social Security, which I didn't quality for before because of my salary. It isn't enough long-term, but it definitely helps tremendously until God opens the door to the right job! Especially since our house in MD is still for sale with virtually no lookers. Just keep praying.

In more exciting news...Tobias Liam turned a big FOUR years old on Monday!!! I can hardly believe it, and neither can he. He keeps saying, "I'm four years old! But I don't FEEL four, and I don't look any bigger." I guess he expected immediate growth on THE day of his birthday :) We had a great time celebrating his big day. He and I went out to breakfast together, then he went to preschool. I came to his preschool mid-morning and shared pictures and stories of Toby throughout his life, as well as a tasty little snack for the kids (no refined sugar or chocolate allowed, so I had to get creative, decided on parfaits for my dairy-loving son!). That night we had a party at our house with Toby's grandparents and great-grandparents that live in town. There was NO lack of attention for this birthday boy.

The next day we celebrated with some of his friends from church. We met at our usual Tuesday evening hangout, the mall play area where they play and we all eat Chic-Fil-A together. This time there were a few extra friends, cupcakes, party hats, and some well chosen gifts.

Speaking of gifts, Toby got lots of great presents that he has thoroughly enjoyed already, and will continue to do so. But the most anticipated one (maybe for me more than him) was his bicycle! He really does love it, and has been pedaling like a pro (with training wheels of course)! Take a look at him riding on our front porch.

We were short on visitors this month, but my sister Molly did come for a weekend, which was a treat! It is really wonderful to have family nearby to celebrate birthdays and holidays with, and to lean on and give support to as well. But I am missing our dear friends, especially from MD, right now! Please know that you continue to be on our hearts and in our prayers. Til next month (or before)!

Update from September

Hello there! I changed out the pictures on the slide shows (which I hope to do toward the beginning of every month, so keep watching) to show the September pictures, including our beach trip!

The weather is turning cooler, and the leaves are showing their vibrant colors more and more every week. It's a beautiful time to come see the mountains! We are enjoying God's creativity in our yard, our neighborhood, and on the drive home everyday.

I have been working diligently on finding a job. I thought the perfect thing fell into my lap (two days a week at an outpatient Oncology office), but they can't hire until next year. Since nothing else panned out with the offices in town for right now, I am looking at hospitals as well. I know that God will provide the right thing at the right time. I am praying that He will open and close doors for me, to reveal His will.

The good news is that I MAY have found someone to watch Toby! She is a young lady from church who will likely be going to college in town (she is transferring) starting next Spring. She is looking for a flexible part-time job in childcare, and she and Toby had a great time together last week when she came for dinner. I'm not sure anyone can fill the shoes that our last babysitter wore, but I am thankful that God has provided a lovely Christian woman who is interested in caring for Toby.

We continue to get more involved with our new church. Here's the website if you're interested: http://www.trinityasheville.com/ I have been attending the Women's Bible Study, and it has been really refreshing to be in the Word, where the teaching is rich and challenging, and spending time with other women. In a couple of weeks I will also be going to an overnight retreat with the women at church as well. In fact I've met a handful of other young moms, and we have been meeting at the mall play area on Tuesdays, enjoying free kid's meals at Chic-Fil-A! Toby and I both really look forward to that time, getting to know our new friends. We are really blessed with another supportive community that we connect with.

Toby has always LOVED pets. Cats, dogs, guinea pigs, gerbils, whatever. And lately he has been asking if we can have one. I have told him "No, not until you are older.". I know, the typical parental response. Well, we have a neighborhood cat, named "Rip" which is short for "Ripvanwinkel", that has been spending a lot of time on our porches and yard since the temperature has dropped. He is really friendly, and has been a joy for Toby to greet everyday, learn to pet gently, follow around, and generally give some attention to.

My sister came for a visit this weekend. We had such fun with Toby's Tia Molly, as she is called! And last week we also enjoyed a delicious lunch with the Palmer's, who were in town on business. Who will be next to our neck of the woods? Maybe you'll be lucky enough to be mentioned in the next post! :)

Finally...

Many of you have been waiting for over two months now for some news from us down here in NC. Well, thank you for your patience, that time has FINALLY come!! There is so much information to share with so many people, which makes this first post very long (WARNING!), but after this they should be more succinct. Okay, here goes...

The Move- The packing and move went really smoothly, everything got here safely and quickly. Although it was exhausting, by God's grace Toby and I have adjusted well overall to having our lives uprooted. We moved in over July 4th weekend, which was convenient because my family was all off work, and was here helping us unpack!

Our house- We LOVE our new house, and I feel abundantly blessed when I consider that we get to call it our home. It is large enough to have guests and still be comfortable, but the living spaces are cozy and comfortable. It has lots of character for a newer home, with a lofted area, great windows and dormers, and a fabulous front porch (where we see the local birds and hummingbirds eat from our feeders, enjoy sunsets, and where I watch Toby play around the yard). It is beautiful, and in a great spot. Toby says "We live in the woods!". Which is sort of true. It is across the street from a wooded park, and we don't have any neighbors to one side of us. But we are also a block from the little Main Street in our town, where we frequent the library, bakery, pizza place, and pharmacy (which serves ice cream!). It is VERY different from our neighborhood in MD, but we have thoroughly enjoyed it! (Speaking of our house in MD, it is STILL for sale with very little activity in this current market. Please continue to lift this up in prayer.)

Family- Being close to family was our motivation for moving, and that has been so wonderful! My parents (mom, dad & step mom) live about 10 minutes away, and we see them weekly, but talk more frequently. And we probably see my grandparents about every other week. Although my parents all work full time, they have been very helpful in watching Toby on occasion. But even more important, it has been so valuable to share regular life with them.

Church- One of the ways God has cared for us has been through our new church, Trinity Presbyterian in Asheville. Two of my friends from college (and their husbands and kids) currently go to that church (they will both be leaving in the near future to plant a church across town). So it has been a real blessing to have some "built in" friends that know us and our history, and to help us get connected to the body at large, which is already happening! We were immediately plugged into a smaller, local group led by an elder in the church, where we were heartily welcomed and made to feel at home. Through that group, we have also made some great new friends with boys about Toby's age who live close to us! The worship and church overall seems very authentic and rich. I look forward to seeing how God will use us to build His kingdom through this body, and how God will continue to use Trinity to care for us.

Visitors- We have had the pleasure of welcoming SEVERAL out-of-town guests into our home already!! My sister Molly, two of the Moriarty's, most of Anton's immediate family, Carolyn, Cortney & M'Cheyne, and Sarah & Graceanne (and last week we met the Blackston's for lunch too!). They all graciously looked past the mountains of unpacked boxes (mostly decorations and books) stacked in the guest room, to see the awesomeness of God in the beauty of the REAL mountains just down the street, and in how He has provided and cared for us abundantly in this place. We thoroughly enjoyed each visitor, and it has helped us not get too homesick for Maryland :)

Work and childcare- Well, not much to say in this department. I have not really started looking hard for a job yet. I did get my NC nursing license and have started working on my resume. I'll be looking for work two days a week, maybe in an outpatient oncology clinic or doctor's office. Because those hours would be easier to find childcare, which I haven't pursued yet either. I have found it hard to keep the ball rolling on this, with the guests, settling into our house, and our beach trip...

Beach- That's right, last week we got to go the beach (just after tropical storm Hannah passed through)! We went to Pawley's Island, SC with my mom, sister, and granny for about five days. We had such a great time enjoying the beautiful area, fun in the water and sand, and just getting away.

Tobias Liam- Toby is doing great! He has adjusted really well to all the recent life changes. No disruptions in sleeping, eating or behaviour (besides the typical three and a half year old stuff). He loves his room, and all the extra play spaces in the house where he can exert his energy (the basement, porch, bigger yard...). We talk about our friends in MD often, and miss them, but getting to share time with so many visitors this summer was wonderful for my little extrovert! Last month Toby started preschool three mornings a week at a local Montessori school. He is really enjoying that social outlet, and having his own thing to do. I have been impressed with how much individual attention he receives, and how he is getting excited about learning and absorbing so much through his time there. It is quite a different schooling environment than what I am used to, but has been a good thing for him.

Me- I am surprised at how much emotional and physical energy has been required for this big move. Although I am feeling very thankful for how God has blessed us in this move, it has also left me feeling pretty tired as well. Now that things are slowly beginning to settle down here a bit, I am looking forward to getting Toby and I into some healthy routines, and reestablishing my daily walk with God. I am excited about the friendships that God has laid in my path here already and seeing how they develop. I am actually looking forward to getting back to work part-time as well (wherever, and however He calls me)- to caring for others with my nursing skills and getting involved in a workplace again.

Missing Anton- I think it's strange that I have thought about and missed Anton more here, in a place that we never shared together, than before I left MD. But this has been such a huge transition that I have longed to go through with him. I want to enjoy our new home and church with my adoring husband, I think he would have enjoyed them too. September 4th would have been Anton's 34th birthday. Toby and I were grateful to take time to remember him with some family and friends at Bojangles, sharing a Tarheel birthday cake in his honor.Toby still talks about his daddy quite often, relaying thoughts and memories, more than I would have expected. In fact, just today he said that when he sees daddy in heaven he is going to run and give him a big hug! What an awesome picture that brings to mind :)

So that's us in a really long, maybe more than you wanted to know kinda "nutshell"! I will be updating this Blog every once in a while with pictures and stories, so just keep looking! We miss so many people, and I wish desperately that I could keep in touch with you better on an individual basis. But I am grateful that technology allows me this option. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, emails, notes and for reading this all the way through :) Until next time!