For the last time

It actually happened. I knew this day would come, I just had no clue how bad it would hurt and how quick it was really coming. Today Chris began our move to VA and just pulled out of 1060 Summit Dr. for the last time. I'll be staying here in G'ville for a couple of weeks to go through the closing on this house and keep the dogs until our VA house is closed on.

Today was strange. We woke up, I went to grab breakfast for us at Dunkin Donuts (our pantry and fridge are now bare). I brought breakfast home and we did some things around the house/packed up clothes in wardrobe boxes. For lunch we decided to go to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Compadres, one more time. They know us so well they don't even bother to hand out the menus. We ate a very good lunch (that salsa is oh-so-addicting!) then came home to realize we had locked ourselves out of the house.  The last thing we wanted to do was call a locksmith on a Sunday to let us back into our own house. [Side note: If you've ever been through a move, you know how pricey it can be.] For such a mindless mistake we knew there was likely a (yet another) big price to pay. The locksmith came out and it turns out we have an upside-down lock (and it was impossible to pick) so he had to replace the whole darn thing. TWO HUNDRED dollars later--it was fixed.

Of course Chris also somehow managed to lose/misplace one of his shoes and his sunglasses (which only added to the chaos of the day as he was trying to get packed up and out the door). The contractor doing all the house repairs was banging on the house fixing board after board. Eventually, we both just couldn't take any more stress, noise, to-dos, bills, or phone calls. All the little things and much bigger things were mounting up.We just held onto each other and cried. In that moment in my busy brain I knew it was the last time we'd be standing in our first home, the last time we'd be in the space we tried so hard to make ours. Flashbacks of eating pizza on the bare floors on move-in day, putting up the icicle lights at Christmas, eating our chili on the porch as trick-or-treaters arrived, cooking glorious meals in our kitchen, having our friends and family over, landscaping the yard, planting our garden, picking out new furniture and paint all just whirled around making me dizzy with emotion then extremely still.The world just stopped around us and things felt quieter. The dogs even felt it and stayed right there with us. I fell in love all over again. We had made all those memories together. Chris eventually walked out the door for the last time, got in the car, pulled out of the driveway and signed an "I love you" as he always does through the car window. I reciprocated  by signing it back then holding up "2" fingers as I always do. That, my friends, will never change.

Before

 

 

 

After

I know I will be okay as long as I can just be there to hold Chris and tell him I love him, feel it back and have our pups by our sides. No matter where we live or what we live in--that's what will matter most. There are new memories to be made.

Love,

Missing Him Already



"If I lay here, If I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?"- Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

Falling (HARD) into Place

 Moving is quite the process and such a huge headache; at this point, I can vouch for that statement. As most of you know, Chris and I are moving up to Roanoke, VA as he has been given an amazing opportunity to work with GE Energy. It's hard to believe that us two Greenville natives are packing up our first home on Summit Drive and moving two states away. If I had to describe this experience in less than three words I would simply say, "a lot" about covers it. It's just a whole lot of stress, planning, time, expense, emotion, coordinating, goodbye-saying, etc and I am definitely a get-it-done/rip-the-band-aid-off-quick kinda gal.

I'm tipping my hat to all this change by renaming my blog.Obviously, "Reaching Summit" wouldn't get you very far anymore when it comes to visiting these Winchesters. ;) I was driving in the car and it hit me that the perfect name for this blog is "Remaining Anonymous."

Literally, the meaning is quite ironic. Who the heck writes a blog with an intention to remain anonymous?? (That meaning is just my literary genius shining through.) teehee! Another interpretation is that the title has something to do with the fact that we won't know anyone in VA, but I certainly don't intend for it to remain that way. Lastly, another meaning that can be seen as a goal in life that I strive to accomplish--to be a servant to others and the Lord and to do it "anonymously" without the need to be recognized.

All of these are fair definitions but not quite the root I was intending. The real meaning is very personal and close to my heart. Through the years, one of my favorite quotes that my dad often says is "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." If I wrote down every "coincidence" that has occurred during this moving process --much less my whole life-- you'd be completely blown away. This is where my faith has grown the most. Coincidence is where God "speaks" to me. He gets me through everything and his purpose is made clear for me every day as he speaks.

I would agree that there's no doubt that, as my cousin Jenn said, "God is shining down on this move." Here are a few examples of some recent coincidences I am talking about below. Some are so intricate that I may lose you so I'll keep it to three:

-We needed to sell our house very quickly. I prayed it would go to someone young who would love it as much as we do.  It sold in THREE WEEKS to an adorable young teacher who is so energetic and excited to live in it and she even appreciates everything we did to it.

-We also had to find a new house to call home in VA. We had seen about 30 homes up there and eventually decided to wait until our house sold before really looking anymore. Our house went under contract on a Friday (the same day that Chris had driven back home from training in Roanoke). Despite every fiber in Chris' being, we decided to drive back up to VA the very next day to look at houses--talk about whip lash! According to our Realtor, there was a new one on the market that would get snatched up quickly and she thought it was just what we were looking for--it was a must see! We fell in love and put in an offer and had a contract on it a couple of days later.

-I got two job offers this week and accepted a job in the best school District in Roanoke as an Instructional Assistant. Two phone interviews and an in-person interview later, I secured this position that will allow me to gain experience in a classroom and work one-on-one with a student. I feel pretty darn lucky considering the fact that certified teachers are struggling to get jobs up there right now.

These are just a small sampling of  "coincidences" surrounding our move. People say that things "always fall into place" but this just seems miraculous and I am so thankful.

Roanoke, VA at night--our new city!

 Love,

Waiting Patiently for the Next Steps


(From now on, I won't sign my posts with a real name. Sticking to the theme, Pseudonym = Anonymous, right??)


 P.S. Sorry this post was so long! Next time, I'll add more pictures.