This week was by far one of the most eventful and busy weeks of my life. I wanted to see as many people as I possibly could before my move next week; but, I also had to pack up my entire life and prepare for a drive across the USA. Saying goodbye is difficult, especially to the people I love most.

Monday morning I met with my dear friend, former neighbor, workout buddy, and fellow puppy mom, Melissa.   Over breakfast, we enjoyed talking about my upcoming move, all the work I had to do, her new home and puppy, as well as the anticipation of meeting her new son in the next year. Long talks with good friends can be so therapeutic. 

Monday evening was a blast! After work, Jim and I met the new Mr. and Mrs. Wehrmann at their new home! Double date night! We had dinner and a game night. I love spending time with my best friend and her new husband. 

Tuesday afternoon, after a long day of packing and cleaning, I met with some of my favorite high school friends. It's amazing how 7 years can pass and we can pick up right where we left off out senior year. Sure, conversational topics change, but the bond and the laughter is constant. I love these girls!

Tuesday, my brother, sister-in-law, niece and new nephew arrived from Raleigh to celebrate a late Christmas. I always love spending time with them. My sister and brother-in-law also came to town from Watauga County. For the first time in a long time, my parents had all siblings, and their families close and in one place. It was wonderful! I love being surrounded by family.

It is hard to even put my thoughts together for what happened Tuesday evening. I was as happy as I possibly thought I could be while being with my family. We had a delicious dinner, played cribbage, watched movies and had many funny stories to tell. After dinner, my sister told me there was a gift for me up in her room she needed to get and to meet her in the living room. Knowing my thoughtful family, it didn't surprise me to receive a going away present. I walked with everyone else to the living room and patiently waited for my sister to return. With everyone standing around, I saw my sweet niece approach me with the gift behind her back saying, "I have a surprise for you!". She slowly revealed a beautiful hand-carved and painted puzzle box shaped like a halibut. I sat down on the ground with my niece as I carefully opened the box, pulling one piece away at a time.


Inside, I found the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. For a moment, I wondered why my sister or my family would give me such a nice diamond ring as a going away present. As I looked up, highly confused, I saw the love of my life kneeling with the life-changing question on his lips. I of course said yes through my tears of happiness and my families applause and sounds of joy.

I can't believe how lucky I am to have this man in my life and I can't wait for this new adventure I get to share with him. Just when I thought I could not be happier...

And of course, the rest of the week was a whirlwind of emotions. I spent time with family, caught up with friends, and packed my car full of my life. I bought in 2015 with my most favorite people. It's going to be a wonderful year!

I love Ms. Betty Link. Since my time in Confirmation, she has been a mentor and friend.

My "other mother", Lori Burke. She is a great friend wonderful motherly figure to me. 

Me holding my handsome new nephew. 

Papa Scott with baby Samual

Uncle Jeshua and Aunt Lauren holding Samuel

Enjoying North Carolina BBQ together before going separate ways. 

My immediate family: Kevin, Lauren, Dad, Mom, me, and Robbie

With my cousin Tiffany, and her husband, Ryan.

With my Great Aunt Delma Lee, and cousin, Pat.

The whole gang. I love these people! 

With my siblings and their families. 

My weekly "God thing":
I have been overwhelmed with Love this week. Not just love from my friends and family, but also by God's Love. It has been a week where his presence has been evident in all that has been shown to me. My path has been made for me, and I know that His Love is the greatest of all. It is reassuring to know that his Love is constant and timeless and unwavering.

All About Wrangell

Welcome to my blog! My hope is that this will be a way to document my upcoming adventure as well as keep my dear family, friends, and others updated on my job as a Speech-Language Pathologist, new lifestyle, and home.

Wrangell, Alaska is a very small town in southeast Alaska. The town of 2,400 citizens is on an island accessible only by plane or boat. It has the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen, which is saying a lot because I have always lived in the amazing Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. Numerous islands surround Wrangell Island, making it impossible to view the ocean endlessly in any direction. Being so far south, it has more of a Pacific Northwest climate rather than the “typical” Alaska climate most people associate with Alaska. And no, it also is not dark for weeks and months on end during the winter months. At it’s darkest day, Wrangell still experiences about 7 hours of daylight (and likewise, 7 hours of darkness in the middle of Summer).

I am thankfully not tackling this adventure alone. My sweet boyfriend, Jim, and puppy are also moving to Wrangell with me.  Jim, who is an Occupational Therapist, and I both have jobs waiting for us at Wrangell Medical Center (WMC). WMC has no programs in place within their rehabilitation department for our disciplines and we are excited to build the programs and hopefully enhance the care and services WMC already provides to it’s population.

Hopefully, I will get a handle on this blogging business soon. I hope you take time to enjoy news articles from Wrangell’s local newspaper, The Wrangell Sentinel, on the right hand side of the blog page. At the bottom left of the page, you can subscribe to new blog post via Email. Feel free to also answer my poll question (top left), and tour the links to related web pages (bottom right). My goal is to post every weekend on either Saturday or Sunday.

My weekly “God thing”:

I am excited for my move and of course also nervous/anxious for the change. Am I able to live so far away from my family? Will I be able to fulfill all job expectations and requirements? Will I fit in with the local people of Wrangell? Will my help be accepted by those who need it and their families? There are so many unanswerable questions with my limited knowledge of God’s greater plan.

I heard a song on the radio this morning, that was a wonderful reminder that everything works just as God has planned. The song was “Something Beautiful” by Steven Curtis Chapman:

And God says,

I’m gonna turn it into something different

I’m gonna turn it into something good

I’m gonna take all the broken pieces

And make something beautiful that only I could.

So put it all in the hands of the Father

Give it up, give it all over to

the only One who

can turn in into something beautiful.

Something really beautiful.