Georgia Peaches - The Beginning of Our Sweet New Story

I've frequently been told now by many a friend how if my family must move then at least Eric would take me further south than rather further north! 😂😂😂 And honey, y'all know that's the truth! They know this belle would die should she be moved north as much as one hour! (If not by sorrow than by frozen frost! Ha!) But all jokes aside, where exactly are we going? 

You've heard me talk of Eric's promotion as a chemical process engineer (his dream job) with his company taking him to work in Augusta, Georgia. But, where will we live everyone wants to know? I thought at one time possibly Aiken, SC. I thought of this because apart from the time we thought we may move to GA to be closer to my sister, I could never fathom moving away from my sweet and precious beloved home state of South Carolina. After all, "nothin' could be finer than to be in Carolina." Eric, lovingly taking on this new journey keeping me placed first at the front of his decision making, never would have had me move and uproot my every comfort and my home of 31 years, my friends, my family, my sweet back roads and dearest farms, trees, and favored produce stands, waterfalls, hiking trails, and mountain scapes if I simply told him as much as a simple, "no." But, as blogged and told before, when God leads, we follow, and God told me clearly without question to "go," no matter how hard that hurts my soul. And by the Holy Spirit in me, I am happy and honored to do as God calls me, go where He leads me, and support my husband in his dreams and ambitions and successes. But it has been one of the hardest things I've ever faced. I LOVE my home and I hate change. Change is very difficult for me. Even a small change, and this is no small feat. But, I began by coping with it by subconsciously deciding that we would not leave SC at all. Eric, being ever loving and supportive of me always before himself, allowed me to explore where I may to try and find our new "home." I had supposed Aiken was rural enough ( as I prefer country life), it was still SC, and it was seemingly as close to my real home as I could remain and allowing not too long of a commute for Eric to work. I thought this would be where we would live, initially. But then, God.

One week, Eric brought me with him to Augusta while he worked and we stayed the weekend. While he worked, I went into heavy research mode, on a mission, wild eyed determined to find an area of Aiken that would suit my family. I went all over, around, within, and throughout the town searching every single spot, land, churches, conveniences, classes, what have you, and the more I worked hard the more that God revealed to me - This. Is. Not. It......But rather than become discouraged at the truth of this NOT being our future home, I felt enlightened and open. And as I drove around, pregnant, exhausted, sore, and heavy burdened mentally, God revealed to me that I need to open up to moving to Georgia. Why would I get it in my mind that GA is not an option when it just makes so much sense? Because it was just one more change I couldn't embrace until God revealed to me that SC was no longer the best option. At least, not without settling. And I don't settle. Ever. I am tenacious. I am a fighter. I am a prayer warrior. I am spicy, saucy, aggressive. And I go for the best - the calling and the promise of my Father, God. And as clear as I know my name is Emily, I knew that God was telling me that day, go to Georgia. 

So after my research mission, I picked Eric up from work and he took me to dinner and we had our first date in Augusta, downtown, and we discussed my thoughts on my day. Over burgers I told him my revelation and I could see his eyes light up with the fact this wall had been brought down in my mind and heart. Me allowing God to guide me and direct me was peace giving for Eric and I both. Being open to moving to a new state, particularly the state Eric would be employed by, would make things so much easier, more sensible, and unknown still to me at the time, would actually keep me slightly closer to my true home, my parents, and GA is a more accommodating state for homeschoolers legally (documentation and such). God would reveal these truths to me over the next few days. The mental wall came down, the light streamed through, and things just made more sense.

So for now:

We found a rental home in Grovetown, GA, and we moved in shortly after Elias's birth. We will Lord willing buy land again one day and build again. I don't know when, I don't know what town, I don't know how long I must wait. I honestly know NOTHING other than we will be renting this home in Grovetown, GA until God moves again in our lives and leads us to what I'm calling, "the promised land." But now, and likely for the rest of my life, while my heart and soul bleeds South Carolina Belle blood, I'll also now be a Georgia girl. We are now a family of four Georgia peaches. Yes, even the yankee. 😜

I have a lot of rolling and ever tumbling emotions but I'll say this, choosing to trust and be obedient to God is the best thing I will ever do with my life. Being in His will is always best. Trusting His sovereignty and perfect power, wisdom, and knowledge and rejoicing in it, even if my flesh is struggling, will always be the most perfect thing I can do - and it's not even I who does so, its His Holy Spirit in Me leading me by His Spirit and not my flesh. I pray that God will work through our family for His glory in where He has placed us. I anxiously await the future and all God has planned here for us. 

In the meantime, God has placed me here and this city and state are our new home. Our rental house even, is home in this season. Eric told me once when I asked him, "Aren't you sad to leave our home we built together? This is our true first real home and we built it with so much love and we have scripture all in the house on the walls and floors. We even buried a bible underneath! We have worked so hard here together. How do you feel?" And in the gentle and sweet way that is Eric he replied, " Well, that's all true but...this is just a house. You are what make the home. My home is wherever you are." So precious. Really sweet. And that's really how he thinks and feels. And so, I've chosen to choose a Godly attitude. An attitude to glorify God. I have chosen to take joy in Him and all that He is and all that He does because He knows the plans He has for me. He gave me to Eric to be his sweet wife and his helpmate. And so - this rental house, though not ours and only temporary...I will make it a home for however long God has us here. I will fill it with God's word, love, support, family photos, prayer, and giggles. I will fill it with smiles and cheers and kindness and I will give all of my best to seek out God here and embrace the goodness He has planned. We will be at home in the arms of one another, us four, and we will make memories and make a wonderful life here as sweet Georgia Peaches! And in fact, the memories are already being made! 

We have visited many parks, joined in a couple of new groups for nature walks and forest studies (the kids and I), joined a Christian Ballet company, joined a pool, planted a garden, attended a town social, had pic-nics, and we have only been here one full week! And of course we have plans for so much more fun and exploration as we embrace and discover our new lives, together! And I thank God for all that He is doing, has done, and will do. To being Georgia peaches! 💓

Here are some photos to reminisce as well as to catch up with what has been going on:

We moved out...

We finished off a bottle of wine on our bedroom floor, crying, holding one another, and supporting one another in such great love! It was our last day as owner's of our home.

We closed on the sale of our home thanks to the best realtor, friend, and neighbor ever, Jacqueline Bettilyon. Highly recommend this tenacious wise woman. She even bought me a peach tree since I am now a Georgia peach!! We had come inside from a long day of moving a large lot to Georgia. I was exhausted, emotionally and physically. My heart was battered but was holding strong for my family. When we walked in the door...I'd literally stepped not a whole foot inside when I looked in front of me and knowing Jacq had been by the house, saw a gorgeous peach tree waiting on me and I BURST into tears....bawling my eyes out. All my pent up emotion came leaking out. That tree...there could not be a more perfect gift. It meant more than I ever could say. It was what my soul needed. And we moved it with us to the rental and planted it until we move it to our land we know God will provide.

 After we closed on the sale of our house, Eric and I took a deep breath, let off steam, had a laugh, and went on a date together - our first date since having Elias - and it was so needed. We decided to celebrate this time of life and cheers to what is next. 

Then, we settled into our rental home working hard together to unpack, set up, and make things as comfortable as can be! We camped out in the living room the first night...I slept 3 hours...a sweet memory that also made me super cranky 🤪🤷🏼‍♀️😅. Baha! The sort of memory you look back at later and laugh at. 

Ellie is very happy here. Kids are so cool like that. She thinks she chose our rental home and she is so proud of herself. She has an entire upstairs suite to herself (and with that comes even bigger girl responsibilities of cleaning her own bathroom thoroughly 😉). She told us after one adventure here already, “I’m having the best fun! This is my favorite hike!” It makes a world of difference for me to see my children happy amidst this big change. 

Our Neighborhood where we are renting:

Our rental:

Elias and Ellie’s smiles say it all, God is good. 

Elias - One Month

 

Elias is a wonderful baby! He is so well tempered that this newborn stage has been way more fun for me than my first rodeo 😅. He is calm and chill and only cries when hangry. He eats all the time and has chunked up quickly! Love that! He was born at 8lbs even, and 20.25 inches long. At one month, baby boy measures 11lbs and 22 inches long. 

Elias loves being outdoors and looking around and listening. He naps best in his Moses basket outside. We take long stroller walks and have been playing on the dock with Ellie a lot on the pond. He laughs in his sleep with the biggest grin and it is adorable! Ellie loves being a big sister and they already have a precious relationship going!

We sing and bounce to a lot of our Kindermusik of Greenville songs from when Ellie was an infant and he really enjoys it. Ellie enjoys interacting with him and singing her old songs to him and clapping his hands in rhythm. We do lots of exercises together to help him grow stronger every day so he can soon catch up with big sister! 😘 

Elias has already been getting into adventures with his fun loving family! He went to an egg hunt for Easter at my parents house where he met all of his cousins and Aunt and Uncle! 

He went with us to take Ellie to an Easter egg hunt and event at the unicorn farm and met the Easter bunny. He celebrated his first Easter just a week after being born.

Elias has been strawberry picking at Hunter Farms with Ellie and lots of friends!

He has gone to his first big monthly family dinner with my friends and their families where we cook out and all the kids run wild and free happily! 

And Elias has had his first hike with us and some friends to my favorite upstate hike, Brasstown Falls! He enjoyed laying on a towel in the shade and in the arms of friends and his Mimi who also came! 

He had his first photography session having newborn photos taken by our precious, Anna Bargeron Photography. Here are a few snaps she took (including the very first photo at the top of the blog)!

He naps well, and sleeps well too. He sleeps 3-4 hours straight and with Eric and I taking turns with feedings, we usually only each have to get up once in the middle of the night - although - getting up physically and then waking up mentally because of the tiniest sound and being on full alert are totally different and so we are still in those early newborn night stages where we literally jump out of bed or become wide awake if even a false alarm cry from down the hall happens. 😅😂 

He is a sweet little treasure and having this sweet boy makes me wish I’d had him sooner because choosing to complete our family with him is one of the best decisions I have ever made!