So despite how it may seem, I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth. I know I missed sending out my June newsletter, and I haven’t added anything to my blog in a very long while. I had hoped to write an update a little sooner, but as many of you already know it’s been a bit chaotic.

Exactly one month ago today we had our real estate agent come by and talk to us about the possibility of selling our house. We’d been kicking around the idea of moving for months. Originally we were looking to stay somewhat close. But as more time passed our searches kept getting farther and farther away. And the more I contemplated the idea, the stronger the pull to do it.

I won’t bore you with the details but here we are, four weeks away from a very big move. This time next month I’ll be living in Athens, Georgia. And while there is a lot here in Virginia that I’m sad to be leaving, I honestly couldn’t be more excited.

As a lot of you know I grew up just outside Atlanta. So in many ways this is like going home; a place that I’ve always been a bit conflicted about. The South for me is both hard to embrace and easy to love. A place I want to hold to a higher standard: we can do better. And at the same time hold up for all of the wonderful things it offers: it doesn’t get any better. But these are topics for many future blogs.

In the meantime, I’m soaking up all of the things I love here: time with the most amazing friends, the well worn hiking spots where I’ve found solace the last few years, and lots of donuts from my favorite bakery. And I’ve started trying to capture the things I know I’ll miss. Like the way the early morning light spills into our kitchen and dining room.

So the blogs and updates may be few and far between for a while until we’re settled, but they will come. Written from an oversized front porch across a big stand of pine trees, the scent of magnolia blossoms gracing the air. It doesn’t get any better.