hello from the low-country!

Y'all, oh how I have missed you! Thanks for all the phone calls and texts and borderline harassment love asking for an update on our status here in South Carolina! It warms my heart to no end to know y'all care :) All is well on the Owen range. Thank you, Lord. We arrived safely and soundly on August 5th with the tremendous help of my parents. My dad headed home on August 7th and my mom followed on the 9th. Let me tell you, that was tough driving away from the airport knowing my mom was boarding a flight on her way back home to Kentucky. But, I have never been more sure of God's presence with me. He is so faithful like that! SJ and I held down the fort by ourselves for a couple days awaiting Daddy's arrival to our new home. We had a very, very sweet reunion with Mitch on August 11th (a day late) and the rest is history! We are soaking up lots of time with our little family of 3 (plus Callie girl!) and trying to settle into life as we know it in this new chapter of life. We really like our neighborhood and really like our house... 2 huge praises! Mitch jumped right into his position at Parris Island first thing Monday (the 13th of August). Of course I am his biggest fan, but I just have to say he has done amazing so far. He is working primarily on Marine recruits. It is so interesting how the Lord works because I think this is totally Mitch's niche. These young men and women are doing an incredibly honorable thing for our country and I think Mitch feels really honored to treat them.

There is much more to unfold as we begin to feel more and more like South Carolina is home... Thanks for reading along the way!

Here are some pictures from our trip down, time settling in and our sweet SJ.

the gorgeous North Carolina mountains on our drive...

South Carolina welcome center sign... home!

Here is the homemade chocolate cake our darling, little neighbor girls brought us... now that is southern hospitality!

Here is the back seat loaded up with babies as we drove Nonni to the airport in Savannah, Georgia...

Scarlett and I love taking walks through our neighborhood. Here is just a little glimpse of our beautiful surrounding.... this state is gorgeous!

Our view of the marsh from a swing along the bank.

The sweetest southern belle I know!

A little role reversal.... ha! I think Callie was confused.

My little caged animal grinning for the camera ;)

This is how Scarlett wanted to dress for our morning walk one day... Smocking, sunglasses and sneakers.

 
The pool has become our favorite spot and thankfully there is a lot of shade for me and my little fair skinned girl.

SJ has gotten really inspired to learn how to ride her bicycle (as she calls it). The neighborhood kids are always out on their bikes...

Okay, so a few things I have noticed about South Carolina in general, thus far:

- It is HOT. That is a no-brainer.
- BUGS. They are big and they are everywhere. It took me a couple nights to realize why my neighbors didn't turn on their porch lights at night.
- I sometimes find myself coveting the southern drawl some of the older women here speak with. Ha!
- The sound of freedom (that would be the Marine Corps Air Station!) is something that should not be taken for granted! Who knew you could fall in love with the sound of fighter jets flying over your house 42 times a day!

COMING LATER THIS AFTERNOON --- TOUR OF THE NEW OWEN RANGE!

Thanks again for reading! More to come... :)