Two years ago I got on a plane, 32 weeks pregnant, with our 6 year old and 4 year old daughters. I’m not sure who had the harder path- Dave in his truck with Rue Bear and a shaky trailer, or me overly pregnant on a plane with two kids🙃
A one way ticket sent us from sunny Miami, FL, to gray skied and freezing cold Columbus, OH, where my parents warmly welcomed us and our 6 checked bags, three carry ons, and three backpacks!
Upon arrival, Sutton told us her throat hurt. We got to my parents and took her temperature- 101. I took her to urgent care where the strep test was positive. Merry Christmas.
Dave made his way north and we celebrated with my family, followed by his family- feeling similarly to Mary, Jesus mother in stature and housing status. We were in the in between- not yet homeowners, but had left Miami behind.
On December 29th, Dave, his parents, the girls and I drove down to close on our new home in Louisville, KY. Both eager to close the chapter behind us in Miami, and to start the one ahead in Louisville.
Our belongings arrived haphazardly- a trailer here, a truck there, our BIL drove our new to us couch down, the pod arrived, and many many trips to Home Depot later, we were home. Living within driving distance, family came and unloaded boxes, and I nested my pregnant heart out.
I think I cried everyday for about a month. Whether it was the delayed deliveries of our new furniture, sadness over the late dismissal of kindergarten, missing my some of my sweet friends, or wondering where the sun went, I could cry at the drop of a hat. I felt like I was never going to feel normal or happy again.
However, as I look back-there were two encouraging things said to me before we left that have stuck with me in our transition to life back in KY.
- That Sienna would be a bright light in our lives after so much darkness.
- That there would be a church waiting for us to be blessed by it, and for us to bless it back in return.
Both have been seemingly prophetically true. Firstly, Sienna has been the brightest light to anchor our family. Her arrival repositioned my purpose and gave me joy and strength I didn’t know were possible. Even as she approaches turning two in February she makes us smile and laugh every single day. Returning back to baby stage is not easy, but with her, it’s been so worth it.
Secondly, attending and joining Sojourn East has been the biggest gift to our family here in Louisville. It took a few months for us to actually step foot in the church after a false start and then months of just hunkering down in baby world (wasn’t feeling church shopping with a newborn). Before the moment we sat down in church we have met new best friends, have been “cold called” to start what could be a lifelong friendship, and have been spurred on from sermons, worship, and community. We have felt SO encouraged by being apart of a church whose people have been so welcoming, supportive, and kind as we’ve transitioned out of direct ministry and into the wild world of small business ownership. We are slowly starting to figure out how God is calling us to serve in this new phase of life, but I’m hopeful and excited to see what God will entrust us with. He’s never let us down before.
I could write 100 more posts about the life lived in between the last two years, but I’m feeling so grateful and cared for in our new, old Kentucky home. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the FULL life we have been given here. We have trusted Jesus, said yes, and followed his will for our lives. We have left direct ministry, dove deep with relationships, and are now richer and fuller in love and friendship, in community and growth.
Upon reflecting on 2025, which has been a wild year on the surface, I’ve never felt more deeply loved by my Heavenly Father. We’ve experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows, but I can truly say through it all, I have learned to trust Him with my life. I’m thankful to be loved by friends and women who allow me to be me. Who show up for me in my daily life, and who point me back to Jesus me as we are all figuring out this working, wifing, raising kids thing. We feel fortunate to be apart of a Bible study who have let us into their lives and have loved us where we are at. We are sooooo thankful for our school, teachers, and neighbors. We love the girls soccer teams, our YMCA, even having a Kroger again is a joy 😂
There have been times in our ministry lives where relationships felt transactional (definitely not all-but have had those times), so being set free from the chains of feeling like I have to do something for someone (or their kids)to be loved has been the breath of fresh air I didn’t know I needed. I can show up as myself in all the spaces, and I don’t have to put on a certain face or facade as a staff spouse to placate those around me.
This has gone on longer than I thought, and I knew it was going to be more than necessary for an Instagram caption so I’ll say this in closing. None of this would have been possible without the deep love of Jesus- I can say wholeheartedly that any storm we’ve faced he’s never left us alone. He’s used so many people to show himself to us- I couldn’t list you all, but if you have a warm fuzzy feeling toward me- know that we feel it right back and you’ve been used by God to show himself to me. Whether you’ve been in my life in Ohio, Kentucky, South Carolina, Florida or back to Kentucky, you’ve been apart of my story and I’m so grateful for where we are today in December 2025- I don’t take it for granted.
Merry Christmas 🎁 ❤️🎄😍
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