You Gotta Have Friends

I am filthy rich. And, no, I didn't win the lottery or inherit a large sum of money. I am referring to the fact that I am blessed beyond measure and rich with love from family, friends, and blessings from one amazing God. It's really hard for me to wrap my head around, actually.

When you (pretty much) live in the same town your whole life and spend as much time with your family as I have, it's easy to take your surroundings for granted. One thing I have absolutely adored about this move is that I have gained a whole new perspective on my life and the people in it. At times, when we lived in Greenville, I often felt frustrated that most of my best friends from high school and college lived so far away. They were all spread out EVERYWHERE. Many times, it was lonely and it was hard. Now that I am also "far" away, I realize how much we will always need each other. It's not so hard to be there for each other, no matter how distant we get. I will be the first to admit that my friendships often took a backseat to my other relationships; I now know God had a purpose for that because I have an amazing husband to show for it. Now that I am in a new "season of life" -if you will- it's easier to be there for them.  I have always known how amazing each of my friends are but, as we get older, I truly appreciate their individuality and their gifts even more. As I picture each of them, these words come to mind:  beautiful, creative, loving, fun, quirky, artistic, Godly, inspiring, smart, funny, driven, caring and even athletic. I am blown away at how each of them have been there for me these last few months. It means more to me than you know. When I think about my friends I realize I have some of the best--The one you can tell anything to. The one you can sing duets with. The one you can be silly with. The one you can pray with. The one who laughs a lot. The one who makes you laugh a lot. The creative one. The musical one. The athlete. The intellectual one. The one you can shop with. The one you can enjoy a glass of wine with. The one you can party with....I really have them all.

This past weekend I got to see some of my friends from high school, my friends from college, and a lot of my family. My birthday is coming up in two days and I honestly feel like I was already given the ultimate gift. To gain utmost appreciation for those you love, to spend time with them, and to feel loved and appreciated back is, honestly, one of my very favorite things in the world. Friendship should not be difficult. This post would not be complete without mentioning that I have already made some AMAZING friends here in Roanoke already. I am so grateful to my new church friends and my friends from work. I have to tell you, although I am pretty exhausted, my heart is happy and oh-so-full. Once again, thank you Roanoke. Thank you, Lord.

Pictures from this weekend:

Kathryn, Laura, Whitney, Me (High school)

Me and Carly (High school & college!)

Me, Carly, Helen (mostly college)

Me, Maddie (elementary school & college!), Carly

Carly, Me, Emily & Christen (College-senior year roomies!)

Love,

Seeing Clearly Now

The Grand Plan

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

This is one I have in my back pocket and, honestly, since the first time I saw it, it never left me. In my junior and senior years of high school, one of my best friends, Whitney, had this verse written out on a dry erase board in a special part of her bedroom. She had a portion of her room dedicated to what she was most passionate about--music. There was a piano, mic, a guitar, cd player, country memorabilia, records hanging on the wall, sheet music etc. I remember the two of us hanging out in there discussing our dreams of college and our future careers. Her goals always seemed so exciting and focused and, looking back, I now know it's because she leaned on the Big Guy for answers and guidance. Needless to say, God has had GREAT plans for Whitney. She went on to study music business at Belmont University, fell in love with Nashville and her soon-to-be husband (who works in the music biz), and she landed a great job on music row as well. People like Whitney inspire me not only to use my gifts but to do it for the glory of God. Each of us is unique and wonderfully made. The Lord wants us to do what He made us to do.

I finally feel like God has revealed a big part of His plan for me and I am absolutely ecstatic about it! Here's how I got to this point...

God doesn't make mistakes. Sometimes you are in the wrong place for a good reason. I am grateful for each job I had after college and definitely enjoyed each of them in certain ways but, for varying reasons, I kind of felt like a square peg attempting to fit in a round hole. I did a ton of research on my personality type to just try and "figure it out." What was missing?! The last thing I wanted was to job hop and have "unreliable" written all over my resume.  In the figuring-it-out-process, memories of my time as an au pair flashed through my mind just about every single day and the people who knew me the best kept saying I should work with kids. So, I began to explore more options by shadowing last spring at a few elementary schools and at the Meyer Center with an OT, PT, and Speech Therapist. I was getting closer...

I made the decision to become a teacher and was accepted to start classes at Converse College in the Masters of Arts in Teaching program beginning in June but certain things just literally weren't adding up. If I became a student full time and quit my job, how would we maintain our lifestyle? ...pay our bills?? Like I said before, God doesn't make mistakes; He has a bigger plan. Much to our surprise, we quickly found ourselves packing up our Greenville life to move to Roanoke. I thought (in the midst of the moving madness) that it would be really nice to have (at least) a part time job so I began to look diligently into after school programs, daycare, and teacher aide positions. I applied all over and made lots of phone calls. And it happened. It REALLY happened! I got a job as an Instructional Assistant at a county elementary school. Certified teachers weren't even getting hired for aide positions...how did this happen? Yep, it was G-O-D.

I was originally hired to work one-on-one with a severely autistic child for most of the day. I doubted--could I do it? (Then I was reminded- "God never gives me more than I can handle.") Two weeks before school started, I found out that the child was moving away a few weeks into the school year and my new assignment was to be in Kindergarten full time. In hindsight, I am truly amazed that God gave me the courage to accept the position assuming the challenge of the autistic student for the full year. Again, He had a bigger plan. As I began the position, I found out exactly how much patience I have and became SO interested in understanding autism to make those three weeks with my sweet student as productive as possible.

Since starting my job, I have learned all about the school environment. From classroom management to lunch duty, I have truly found my place. I finally feel PASSION throughout the entire day--I mean, how could I not?! I have the chance to impact and educate precious little lives. With our move to VA, God afforded me the time/resources to have this job and to make a much more informed decision as to whether or not I should go back to school. He allowed me to research and compare Masters programs and license programs. He provided teacher friends to give me sound advice and a new city to start over in. He made it easy and obvious.

SO- I finally chose a program and I have applied to start at Mary Baldwin College next semester in the Post Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure program. There are few more steps to complete before I am officially accepted but, if all goes accordingly, I'll be finished in about 1.5 years and ready to teach!

I share this story because it's really been on my heart to share. I know tons of people (at all ages) who are trying to figure out what they are meant to do career-wise. I don't want you to think for one second that I am referring to your purpose in life--that's an entirely separate discussion. I just want you to know--whoever you are--that I have been there too. I have come home from work in the past angry, frustrated, crying, and begging for the answer. At times, I wondered if I belonged anywhere at all. I guarantee you that God has a plan for you too. I dare to say that His plan for us is often overshadowed by our forceful, impulsive, impatient nature. Take a second...ask God. Ask Him a lot. If you don't hear him speak, keep asking. I guarantee, He will let you know. Ask, seek, knock...remember?

Love,

A Teacher

Life is Good

Recap time!

Over the past week we:

1. Hiked McAfee Knob and dined at The Homeplace
2. Went to a Salem Red Socks game with Chris' co-workers
3. Hosted a Flamingo Party
4. Celebrated a 40th Birthday at a block party cookout
5. Bought a new mattress
6. Witnessed a Clemson WIN against Auburn (on TV)!

How's that for one week? We're really loving it up here so far and finding plenty to keep us busy. Last Sunday we hiked McAfee Knob which is in Catawba  (about 30 mins from our house).  This is a pretty popular hike on the Appalachian Trail. It's 3.9 miles up and 3.9 miles down; the last mile up is the toughest (as they say). Once you get to the top, there is a fabulous view of the valley. There is a rock at the top that juts out and I had seen it on Google Images and my friend Megan Martin's blog when she and her husband, Mike, hiked the whole App. trail. Never in my life did I think I'd be one to sit out on the edge--I am TERRIFIED of heights. BUT, after hiking 3.9 miles up a mountain, I was determined to snap that famous picture! Here's proof.

Me and Chris - McAfee Knob

After our hike, we went to the popular restaurant called The Homeplace. It's a family style dining experience and the food is spectacular. We kinda pigged out...

The Homeplace

It was, to say the least, a wonderful Sunday. We have had some really fun adventures so far and it all just seems so easy to be here. That's not at all what I expected. I guess it really helps to have Chris experiencing it all with me.

To touch on a few more items from the "recap list" above, I really enjoyed meeting some of Chris' co-workers at the Red Socks game. Also, we hosted our first Flamingo Party on Friday. Flamingo parties consist of putting a pink flamingo out in your yard a couple days out to signal to the neighbors that you are hosting "happy hour(s)" on Friday. We had about 10-12 people show up (including some of the adorable kids on the street). Most of the time, everyone brings folding chairs and a few adult beverages and the party goes on until about 10pm. I must say, we had a really great time getting to know everyone and it was great to make use of our front porch. We have a pretty awesome, social block! (For those of you who know me best, you know I am already super excited for Halloween!!! We should have a lot of kids coming by!)

Sunday night The Harveys across the street hosted Mrs. Harvey's 40th birthday! They had family from all over drive up to join in on the celebration and the neighbors all pitched in to make it a huge success. Rev. Harvey baked her cake on the grill--I thought that was pretty cool. We got to meet more people who live on our street, too. You don't find many people in the world who are as sweet, fun, and welcoming as our neighbors have been. Again, we're SO blessed and SO thankful.

The last item on our list from the week was buying a mattress. I am absolutely ashamed to say that I have had the same mattress since middle school. It was high time to invest! (Just FYI--mattress shopping is pretty terrible. After you lay on more than 3-4, you just start to get them all confused/mixed up. Not to mention the fact that it's super awkward to lay on mattresses in a store.) We have been looking around for a few weeks but ended up giving in to the trend--we got a gel foam mattress (Sealy Optimum) and I cannot wait for it to be delivered this Thursday!  We will be working to complete our guest bedrooms in the next months now that we will actually have a bed in each room--YAY for more blogging opportunities!

Last, but certainly not least, our TIGERS WON! Chris and I ordered wings and had a very cozy night in together watching the Tigers pull out a "W." What a perfect addition to the week! Although it was very different to watch from our living room, we loved seeing them play so well. We've got a lot to look forward to this season and can't wait to see everyone for the Ball State game this coming weekend. 

I hope you're having a fantastic Labor Day! :)

Love,

The Social Butterfly

Paint Party: Before/"In Progress" Pics

We still haven't slowed down and I think it might be starting to catch up with me! I am hoping these are just allergies and not something I caught at school.

I am sorry for the wait...but I NOW finally have the in-progress photos from our paint party. Please note that labeling anything "After" may be a little misleading as we have a few things on our "to do" list--but I am sure you'll get the idea. To give you a little background, the house was built in 1929. You will notice radiators throughout the rooms and, yes, they still function as our heat source in the winter. There are tons of little characteristics around the house that make my heart sing like crystal doorknobs, original tile, barrel ceilings, and gum wood molding. We painted all the rooms in the house except for the 2nd guest bedroom, the living room, and basement. Those rooms and the exterior of the house are not featured below.

Here's the palette we worked with (thanks for your help, Mom!) and, I must say, I absolutely love it and would not change a thing.

(From Left to Right) Mountain Air- Guest Room #1, Sleepy Blue-Chris' Bath, Ramie-Dining Rm, Favorite Tan-Kitchen (not tagged with a post-it), Netsuke- Foyer, Gray Screen-My Bath, Balanced Beige-Master BR

And now, for (an abridged) tour of our new house! If you want to see the WHOLE thing--I guess you just have to come visit. ;) Drum roll please....

Foyer (Before)

Foyer (After)

 I am a HUGE advocate for getting things put up on the wall. And the entrance rug is NEW from Target! 

Dining Room (Before)

Dining Room (After) 

You'll see our fur babies in several of the pics...they like their time in the spotlight too. :) We definitely took our chandelier with us from Summit Dr. Thanks to Jeff and Chris, it's already hanging! Oh, and aren't you glad the mustard color is g-o-n-e? Umm..me too.

Kitchen (Before)

Kitchen (After)

We'd like to add curtains in the kitchen over the window. You can't tell from this pic, but there's also a nook to the left of the door. I'd like to repeat the curtain fabric on two bench cushions, make a small rustic table  and create a quaint breakfast area. I already found a fabric I like and may just have to put it on my birthday list. ;)

My Bathroom (Before)

My Bathroom (After)

 My next purchase will be a dark gray bathmat and white monogrammed towels. I am going for a crisp/refreshing look in here. Btw--I am IN LOVE with the original mosaic tile floor and the dove gray walls.

Guest Bedroom #1 (Before)

Guest Bedroom #1 (After)

We are adding a bed once we get a new mattress in our room. This is one of our first projects on the list to conquer this Fall. If you're planning to visit before then, have no fear! We still have an extra bed for you!

Left side of Chris' Bathroom (Before)

Right side of Chris' Bathroom (Before)

See the left side for a better idea of the 'before' color. As this is Chris' bathroom--the pink had to go!

Chris' Bathroom (After)

I would like to get some new brown towels and add a more masculine block-style monogram to them for Chris. The blue shade is just one shade darker from the color in Guest Bedroom #1. Subtle but just enough change to add some interest (and GREAT for resale!).

Master Bedroom (Before)

Master Bedroom (After)

We need to add a rug at some point (I am thinking a white-ish alpaca/fluffy to add some texture) and I still want to add a chocolate brown pillow between the two Euro shams to make everything really "pop." Also, I'll probably dress the windows in linen (maybe chocolate brown also)?

There's still plenty more of the house to see and I have to leave ya hanging a little bit. That's it for the painting portion of the Before/Afters. Stop by again this week--I am planning on recapping our first weekend here alone!

Love,

A Sherwin Williams Fan

A Winchester Weekend

Another weekend flew by and we had more special guests come to stay--Debbie, Jeff, and their golden, Cassie! It was a pretty fabulous time! Here are some highlights...

Friday night they got in at about 4:30pm so we decided to make it a relaxed night in. We had some drinks and appetizers on the screened porch then cooked out pork loin on the grill. Their favorite app I make is called "Bruschetta Bake" (I stole it from my cousin, Logan's, blog!) and I have been meaning to share the recipe with you.

Bruschetta Bake

Bruschetta Bake Recipe:
Preheat oven to 350
Layer the following ingredients in small pyrex (you can also pile them on top of each other on tin foil for a less structured look):
-8oz cream cheese (I use 1/3 the fat! No one can tell.)
-Pesto
-About 5 Diced (ripe!) Roma tomatoes
-Black pepper
-Mozzerella cheese
-Fresh Parmesan cheese

Bake for 30 minutes or until dish is bubbling. Serve with crostini or pita chips. EASY and YUMMY!

Saturday morning we woke up and ate a quick breakfast then Debbie and I adventured around town. The guys were busy hanging our chandelier. Our first stop was the Co-Op market. This little market is in walking distance from our house and nestled in the cute downtown area we will continually refer to as "Grandin Village." We live in a neighborhood area called Raleigh Court off of Grandin Rd--so it's not too far at all. Grandin Village is home to a fun coffee shop, furniture shop, various quaint restaurants, a vintage movie theater, and boutiques.

These remind me of my Italy days.

Co-Op (Market!)

BEA-U-TIFUL cherry tomatoes!

Fall is on its way!

Debbie and I ran into a fun custom jewelry stand on the way out of the market and she bought me the most beautiful necklace. The artist called the piece the "Sundance" necklace and it was too appropriate to pass up! You'll see me wearing it in some of the pics coming up. After the Co-Op and walking through Grandin Village, we drove out to see the school I work at then to a home furnishings shop that my mom and I have fallen in love with called "Present Thyme." I am dying to have a painting from there by an artist named Osterhaus. His work is uhhh-mazing!

We picked up the guys (who did an awesome job hanging the chandelier!) then ventured out to Virginia Tech to see the campus and have some lunch. VA Tech was Chris' second choice back in the day and I can definitely see why! The campus is beautiful and very similar to Clemson. The trip to Blacksburg was about 40  mins from our house and we got to see a whole lot of farmland.

April 16th Memorial

Paying respects.

Tree from 1896!

Lane Stadium

After touring around campus for a bit, we decided to grab a bite from Cabo Fish Taco downtown. This food was awesome! Thank you for the rec, Ashton! (We want an official tour when you and Mike visit us, ok??)

Cabo Fish Taco

CFT has famous margaritas! I tried the Pomarita and it was delicious.

Tavarua (Tav-A-Roo) Tuna Tacos

Blackened lemon-rubbed tuna in a kiwi-pineapple fajita sauce served in two flour tortillas, stuffed with lettuce, tomato, avocado, Mixed cheeses & topped with our honey wasabi sauce with Jalapeno Cheddar Mashers on the side

We took the interstate back towards Roanoke and, yes, we went to Mill Mountain for our (mandatory) Star pic.

 Virginia Lovers

The fam!

We drove back down from Mill Mountain and went to Black Dog Salvage. I have been seeing this place for weeks now and it had me very curious. Since Debbie and Jeff are in the process of building their home on Lake Keowee, I thought I'd be a fun stop. What more could you want?! It's a huge warehouse type place with antiques, salvage materials, and the like. Katie Harrison--you'd LOVE it. I took some pics for you!

Old bathtubs

Black Dog of "Black Dog Salvage"

Look what we found!

Claw feet--KATIE, this is for you!!!

We didn't make any purchases but I am feeling a future project coming on. We found some pretty cool old arched windows that I'd love to make into a headboard. There is also a section upstairs of old prints from books--talk about an easy wall art project. Stay tuned for that!

Saturday night we went downtown for dinner to one of our favorite local bars, Corned Beef & Co. We ate up on the rooftop and indulged in pizza, beer, and burgers.

My handsome hubs and father-in-law!

Me with my beautiful mother-in-law! :) Oh, and that's the pretty "Sundance" necklace she got me.

It was a wonderful weekend to say the least. After breakfast, Debbie, Jeff and Cassie headed back to Greenville. We are already looking forward to them coming back up! Oh, and the weekend wouldn't be complete without some pup pics.

Cassie (left) and Sundance (right)

Sundance, Cassie, & little Stella

After ALL that, Chris and I finished our last painting project in the house--dining room trim AND took the dogs to one (of the many) local parks for a walk! I have to say that this move has been amazing for me and Chris so far. The next few weekends will be just the two of us and we're already planning our adventures. It's pretty fabulous to be stuck in a new city with your best friend. ;)

Love,

The Local Tourist

P.S. Before/Afters REALLY are coming next.

Ebb and Flow

I know I promised before/afters in the next post. I have to get some more things on the wall before then so, please, bear with me.

As I was out driving today, I felt very compelled to write a new post. My life has drastically changed in the last couple of weeks and I am guessing it will really start to hit me soon as things quiet down. I have been riding the "high" part of the roller coaster with moving in, having guests, making our house a home, and keeping busy. In those rare moments of sitting still, I think too much, and the wave I have been riding dies down to meet the sand.

Yesterday and today I had a few moments like that and started to get down. I try to be upbeat as much as possible, but sometimes, life gets tougher. I was basically born and raised in Greenville/Spartanburg and know those areas like the back of my hand; It hits hard when you rely on a GPS to find a grocery store, a hardware store, or really anything for that matter. To top it off, today I met a lot of literal "Dead Ends" and even Wanda (my GPS) couldn't help me find my way back to the main streets. Also, I have always had family to call when I needed a lunch date; today I sat at the table in Chic-fil-a alone. Silly things like this start to add up and that's when reality strikes--this is new. This is not Greenville. Things are not what they were.

The most important aspect I am missing right now is the best thing to fill an empty hole in my heart--a strong dose of God through church.  We JUST found the best church for us in Greenville, became members, and now we find ourselves starting over not even knowing where to begin. Sometimes I want to just yell, "WHY?!"

As these tides of emotion ebb and flow, I have to remind myself that it's "all good" and it's all "happening for a reason." I believe changes and transitions are for the better and always make a person stronger. I know for a fact that God wants us here in Roanoke. He wants us to live in this beautiful home and to have our wonderful jobs and to, eventually, make new friends and strengthen our existing relationships. I try to remind myself that He has a plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and it is good. Those moments when my thoughts drift or I get sad and lonely will happen and it is okay.

This too shall pass. This too shall pass.

Love,

Surfer Girl

Paint Party 2012

This weekend was fabulous; (most of) my fam came to Roanoke, saw most of Roanoke, and conquered a $&*%-ton of painting!

 That's the short version. So stop here if you don't want to go through a zillion pictures and hear the nitty-gritty deets.

Overlook at the Roanoke Star from Mill Mountain

For you poor brave souls reading on--there's plenty more to share. Friday my Mom, Dad, and brother, Robert, came to the Valley to see our new place and to serve as "The Help" (as they referred to themselves). ;)  They got into town late on Friday and we quickly decided the painting could be put off until morning. After a full tour of the new house we got into the car and set out for a tour of our new city. We drove up to the Roanoke Star on Mill Mountain. For those of you planning to visit (and you better!), we've decided this is a must-see when you come up. If you don't get your picture taken from THE STAR at some point when you visit, you're missing out. On second thoughts, we might just make it mandatory.

After the driving tour of downtown and our adventure around the neighborhood/other parts of town we indulged in a happy hour (or two) (or four) then got the grill fired up to cook out some burgers. We ate all together in the (new to us) dining room.  We broke out the backgammon set and had a low key night. We knew the tasks ahead of us Saturday were looming and inevitable. 

Man's BFFs: Dog & Grill

The grub line.

Oh, there's strategy involved.

 Saturday came early and after a good dose of coffee for everyone we got to work (except for Chris, who, insanely enough, doesn't drink coffee). We had 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, the dining room, foyer, and kitchen to tackle. Chris and I chose a different color for every room and the "Paint Crew" was just thrilled with that. ;) We (with some hearty advice from Mrs. Jennie Morgan) decided to choose a very neutral palate so that the rooms would flow. Actually most of the colors downstairs are on the same paint strip (they just vary in tint). [Special shout out to Robert Farry for hooking us up at Sherwin Williams!!]

Complete Before/Afters are coming soon (in the next post!) but, for now, I am gonna show you how much fun the Morgans/Winchesters can have (even if we have to paint 7 rooms in one day).

The task force.

Mrs. Jennie Morgan

Chris had a little helper

According to Robert...(L + C = WORK) 

As you can see, we have an amazing support system! They MUST love us a whole lot to drive 4.5 hours to help paint our whole house, right?! We finished up the painting at 5ish, cracked a few well deserved beers, and had time for a little R&R before our night out on the town. Here are a few action shots:

Backgammon again.

This was the first time Dad beat Chris in ping pong!

Me and my Stella

Cheers!

We managed to pull ourselves together, shower, and head out on the town for a late dinner. Each time we go out, Chris and I are also trying the restaurants for the first time with our guests (for the most part). We elected to try Blue 5 and, boy, was that a good decision. They not only have a great menu with a little bit of everything for everyone, the atmosphere is incredible. This place has Blues inspired decor and they even had a guest band to entertain. After a few songs, we all had to pick our jaws up off the floor. Robert even commented that they were (by far) the best band he has ever seen in a bar. Come to find out, there's a big reason for that; the band, Mac Arnold & Plate Full of Blues, has some serious history. Mac Arnold has played with the likes of James Brown, Muddy Waters, Otis Redding, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, produced Soul Train, and he originates from Greenville, SC! We not only got to watch him perform, we all MET him and got autographed CDs. Talk about a reward for a day of hard work.

Mac Arnold & Plate Full of Blues

Mac playing his wireless Gasoline Can Guitar around the restaurant

All of us with Mac Arnold

Dad and Mom chatting it up with the band members...Those groupies.

Needless to say, we had a phenomenal night out! Sunday came early and after a small breakfast of cinnamon rolls and grits, we had to say our goodbyes until next time---the Ball State v. Clemson game. A few short hours after my fam departed, we had our second round of visitors! Katie (Chris' sister) and her boyfriend, Danny, stopped by on their way back from their summer roadtrip to Long Island & DC for lunch and quick tour. It was SO sweet of them to come and we had a great time. We ate at Grace's Place, a little pizza joint, in the small downtown called Grandin Village area near our neighborhood . Here's the proof!

Clearest day yet from Mill Mountain

(Mandatory) Roanoke Star picture

Grace's Place

 This weekend I learned how to play backgammon, that I love Blues music, painting parties actually fun, and family is completely priceless. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all our visitors this weekend. The support our first weekend here together is huge. BIG thank you to Mom, Dad, and Robert for your love and hard work!

Love,

Someone Seeing Stars