Settling In

January 12, 2014

We have now lived in Fairfax for almost 5 months now (whoa!) and are finally starting to settle in:

• We can make it to essential places without a GPS anymore. 
• We have gotten used to longer yellow lights and the driving style here (aka get there as fast as you can). 
• We know where things are in the grocery store (sounds simple, but really helpful)
• We have started to make friends (more Clayton than me, but I'm getting there). 
• We have a church we call our own and are getting plugged into a community group (Bible study) this week. 
• We are having dinner dates and double dates like real adults. 
• We have gotten used to people thinking we are too young to be married. 
• I have gotten used to being mistaken for a student. 
• Clayton is about the start his second semester (he finished last semester with a 4.0!) and I just started classes at Shenandoah University working for my gifted endorsement (4 classes and a practicum that will certify me to work with gifted students).
• Clayton finished his pilot tests for the research that will hopefully be his thesis project
• We still call Kentucky "home" which confuses people, but now we also refer to our apartment in Fairfax as "home". 
• Although we felt that living here was a temporary thing, we are starting to accept that another year and a half is a long enough time to try to make friends and settle in. 
• We have learned that no one is really from here so the fact that we are transplants is not weird
• We have learned that we lived in the south even though it is exactly west of here
• We have gotten to know Melody and like where we live very much
• We have traveled around the area some (Montpelier, D.C., Alexandria, Manassas, etc.) and have several trips on our plans/wishlists for this spring/summer (ski trip, Mount Vernon, New York City)

We also physically settled into our new home by buying several new furniture pieces and rearranging the apartment on New Year's Day. We found a loveseat (a beast to get into the basement), bookshelf and desk on craigslist.  After the changes, it really does feel more like our home.

God continues to pour out His blessings on us in this place. We have wonderful jobs and a wonderful place to live. We look forward to traveling more this year and will really enjoy the spring so we can sit on the patio and use the grill. Please pray that God uses us for the advancement of His kingdom while we are out here in both our workplaces and our personal lives. Thank you to all who follow us and care about our progress. We are blessed beyond measure!