Exploring God's creation

This weekend Joe and I decided to get to know our new home state so... we went hiking!
After doing some research on trails in the area (because there are tons!) we drove out to Shenandoah National Park about 20 minutes from Charlottesville.  We decided to do one and maybe two trails but after hiking a total of 4.7 miles (and the second half of it ALL up steep hills) we decided one would do for the day.  I will say, though, that I felt much more challenged than I thought I would, but Joe and I are really ready to get back out there and tackle some more... once we get over the soreness.  Our next trail will definitely involve some rock scrambling!

We decided to try the South River Falls trail which boasted a hike to a waterfall with an optional spur to the base of the waterfall (which we of course did) and an alternate route back which was longer (and steeper believe me) but it took you through part of the Appalachian Trail.

Our several hours in nature showed us some pretty interesting things...

Some VERY YUMMY wild blackberries; unfortunately only a few were ripe.

Honey anyone?

Very relaxing, beautiful mountain springs that also happened to be EXTREMELY cold.

And some very beautiful hillside flowers.

One thing I loved about our exploration was noticing the complexity of every rock and plant and hillside groove and tree and stream and waterfall and creature that existed just in the few miles of this land we took in and the fact that this was just one of many many mountains in many many mountain ranges that are present across the world. It is so incredible to imagine that the same God who created this vast structure of land also created every tiny petal on every small flower that grew just within the picture I took.  God is so incredible, and it is always a divine pleasure to see glimpses of his massive creation.

"For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.  In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land." Psalm 95:3-5

I stand amazed.

Being a newlywed!

We are home in Virginia! A few weeks ago, Joe and I made the 872 mile (15 hour) trip from our lifetime home in Madison, MS to Charlottesville, VA.  We are very slowly, but very surely getting settled in, though lots has happened since we pulled the move-in truck into our parking lot on June first. The biggest change since getting married and moving into a different time zone occurred the day after we moved in.  I went to an interview with an apparel company based here in Charlottesville on Thursday morning, and began work as the new Event Director for Robert Redd, LLC on Friday! Crazy! Joe and I just keep thanking God for the amazing opportunities He has provided us with.

We are loving being newlyweds! It is certainly a new world of shared sinks and trusting your partner with the grocery shopping (which we're still working on), but nesting has been quite an adventure!

We work on the apartment a little everyday and have spent 2 of our 3 Saturdays at the DMV (which as you can see below, we finally were successful with) and at every home/furniture/hardware store in the area.  I'm pretty sure by the time we actually have a fully furnished and decorated apartment, we will be on  a first name basis with the TJMaxx employees.

Our greatest apartment successes so far have been getting the piano out of the truck and into our office/study/music room (which dad, I told you it could be done!) and hanging our wine rack.  This, however, was a 99% success, because after we finally located studs and affixed everything properly (an hour long process) we realized we had hung the rack over our light switch.... minor issue.  We work around it.

Through all of our small trials though, we are really learning to trust each other, especially me! Joe is an incredible husband, and I am so thankful that he is willing to be the dishwasher/laundry man/cat caretaker/ and grocery shopper just to name a few.  We still haven't gotten the grocery thing quite nailed down, but no one does Sunday laundry like Joe and Eliza has quickly fallen in love with him just like I did.  I am so grateful for the life God has provided us with, and Joe and I cannot wait to see what else He has in store. 

(Joe with his adopted daughter, sporting a new Robert Redd shirt. One look at the company I work for and he was already a fan!)

We started this blog to keep all of our friends and family updated on how God is working in our lives, but also to see how we grow with each other in these first stages of newlyweddom! Hope you enjoy!