One Year Here

One year ago today, we closed on our house here in Dublin. This was one of many firsts: buying a home, living together full-time, moving somewhere to create a life as a married couple. While it was 'home' for Christopher, my heart and my home is all over the East Coast and I was expecting a move to a small town in South Georgia to present some challenges.

While there were a few along the way {The Great Flowerbed Flood of 2017, and Hurricane Irma just to name a few} the move was surprisingly smooth. I'm not sure that I've ever felt as at peace about living somewhere as I do here. And while a lot of that has to do with my husband, a lot of it also has to do with the people here. I've lived a lot of places, and people are not universally accepting, kind, or excited to get to know the new person. Usually there is some hesitancy and distrust of those coming it to a tight-knit community that causes the transplant to rescind and not make further attempts at developing connections and relationships.

I've never felt more universally accepted and liked than I have here in Dublin. I've met so many people who are genuinely interested in me, my husband, our lives, and in making a deeper connection. I'm not sure I've ever lived somewhere that so many people are as deeply rooted in their faith and are actively living it out. The people here are kind, and inclusive, and loving.

While we have a short list of shopping and dining options {Target will never happen here, y'all.}, we have a growing and thriving downtown community that I'm proud to work in every day. I've been included in an amazing Bible study group with some wonderful ladies that I wouldn't have met if one person hadn't taken a chance and asked me, a virtual stranger, to come over for dinner. And I feel so blessed to live in a community that values family, my marriage, and our commitment to each other.

I've learned to value the little things more, thanks to living in this small town. Even though my mother cries every time she has to make the almost five hour drive to see me and I have to Amazon my face wash each month, I appreciate the fact that it takes me five minutes to get pretty much anywhere any day of the week. I love the fact that we have 52 official St. Patrick's Day events that start in February...and don't expect to find a green bow for sale anywhere after Valentine's Day. I love that my in-laws are just down the road. I laugh at the sheer number of parades we have that makes it feel like I'm living in my very own Stars Hollow. And anytime we go somewhere, I'm always ready to get back home.

So here's to here, and a great year. Cheers to many more.