Hello Charlotte

I (Dolly) have officially been in Charlotte, NC for a month now, so I thought I'd finally post an update on how our family is doing here in the South.

The city of Charlotte is beautiful! It's been hot/humid, but bearable. The only traffic I've seen is on Sunday morning when every church is packed (and literally, there is a church on every street block...and they are big churches!) People are really friendly every where we go, and they are all obsessed with babies! Maribelle is always the topic of every conversation I encounter with a stranger. I've got to be careful though because strangers think they are allowed to touch my baby at any chance they get...flu season is right around the corner! The street system is insane here; the same stretch of road changes names 4 times in about 5 miles! It really is bizarre! Also, Greg and I got our first taste of American history by attending a Revolutionary War renactment. It was as exciting as it sounds. Josie was less impressed, except for the farm animals that were present for the ambiance.

Maribelle is 2 1/2 months old now, and she is such a good baby! She has the biggest crooked smile that brings tears to my eyes. She is so kind...she let's me sleep through the night! Josie will be 2 years old on October 4th. She is a good talker, and she loves to play outside in the parking lot next to our townhome (don't worry, it's always empty and at the end of the apartment complex). She swam for the first time, but is still not that adventurous in the water. However, she does like to point out and kill the bugs that get into the house. The bugs are terribly gross here! We saw a 2-inch long roach crawl across our stove one night! (We are clean people, apparently these ones aren't associated with filth...but I'm still cleaning/vacuuming every night just in case they are searching for crumbs). As Greg says, "the only good bug, is a dead bug"(Starship Troopers seems to have become our living guide to killing bugs).

Greg has been attending Reformed Theological Seminary for the past 4 weeks, and he is really enjoying it so far. Hebrew is a pretty tough language to learn apparently, so he seems to always have his flash cards where ever we go! He is thankful to finally be at the place where God has been leading him these past few years! Greg knows the education will be a good preparation to plant/replant a church here in the South. The girls and I are adjusting to his new schedule, but our family has definitely changed its routines a bit to accommodate for his studying time.

I have been applying for jobs since early July and have found this process to be very frustrating! As a pediatric nurse at one of the best children's hospitals in the US, I thought getting a job would be easy...but apparently it's not. The process has been long and difficult. I hope to find out some news by the end of the week on a job I applied/interviewed for at the large children's hospital here in Charlotte. The issue of work has been a challenging one for us, as it is forcing us to put aside our pride and humbly bow before God in complete dependence. We know he will provide for our family, because he promises to do so in his Word, but it is a scary place to be since we are running out of the extra money we came with. Sometimes the reality of our problems are more real than He is...and this has been a hard lesson to learn as it forces me to see how I lack faith or fail to practice the faith I say I have. I say I trust Him and his promises, but do I really if I react in anxiety, fear, and worry?

We have not found a church home yet. We aren't much into church shopping, so we tried to decide on a church while we were in Seattle, but you can only do so much research online, and then you have to experience the church for yourself. We may have found one, but are still praying for guidance as we decide. It has been difficult to adjust without a close church community to support and encourage us. We have been praying that the Lord leads us to the right community for us to be a part of.

One of the most difficult parts about moving here to Charlotte has been the distance we are from our families in North Bend. We miss our parents terribly and wish they could see their grandchildren as frequently as they were able to when we lived in Seattle. I keep showing Josie pictures of her grandparents to keep them fresh in her mind. I miss meeting my mom for lunch during the week when we would discuss food over eating food : )

So to be completely honest...this move is the hardest thing I have ever dealt with. My heart is heavy and burdened by many changes, and I feel that the Lord is ripping me out of the stagnant state I was in for so long. I have learned more about my heart, idols, and sin in the past few weeks than I have in the past two years. More importantly, I have learned more about Him as I am being stripped of all of the things I trust in (jobs, security, savings, quality time with my husband, etc.) The Lord is definitely refining our hearts, probably preparing us for a difficult couple of years as Greg finishes his Masters while I work full-time...all the while we remain full-time parents! We pray for help as we prioritize our lives...because our marriage and children are never to be placed after seminary or work. We continue to pray for his guidance as we live our lives in light of his Word.

Please pray for our family as we struggle to trust in him during this difficult time of transition. Furthermore, please pray that we continue to live in joy and rest in our relationship with God, eachother, our children, and our community. We miss you all very much and await the time to visit you all again next year.