Oh, San Angelo!

San Angelo never really stood a chance with me. When we got stationed in Maryland, I was just 19 and we were there for almost 8 years. So it really became home. Even with all its liberal political junk and bad drivers, I just loved it there. I had good friends, a good church, a good job, and my brother and his family lived just an hour away. I knew I would be devastated when we got orders, and honestly I am not sure I would've given any place a chance. Maryland was home for me. 

Insert orders to San Angelo. I was so sad. I stayed in my pajamas for two days after we got orders - a little dramatic I know! I knew I would have a hard time finding a comparable job with a comparable pay scale - turns out it just wasn't meant for me to do the same kind of work. God had bigger plans - plans for nursing school. If we had stayed in Maryland, I am almost positive we wouldn't have been able to afford for me to go to nursing school - you're talking about $250 a week just for daycare there. I don't know how we would have done it.  

Not long after we had Madeline, our sweet neighbors, Brian and Kim invited us over. We became friends and they invited us to church. Little did we know Veribest Baptist Church would become our church home. I honestly have never been to a more loving church. Although Kim and Brian moved shortly after we got here, we know God put them in our lives to bring us to church here in San Angelo. I really could never express the blessing that it has to been to us. 

The people in general in San Angelo really couldn't be nicer. I remember grocery shopping when we moved here and people would offer to unload my groceries in my car. ( I was 8 months pregnant). I got a little nervous the first few times people approached me because it was foreign to me after living in Maryland for so long. Even after I had Madeline, strangers would offer to help carry things for me. And yesterday, a man in the bar approached me about some men in uniform eating at Outback. He wanted to anonymously pay for their lunch as a way of thanking them for their service. One of those uniformed men was Terry and I was instantly brought to tears by his kindness. 

No matter the weather or the cost of plane tickets to go see family, I am so thankful for where we are. God really has had His hand on us here in the little and the big things. Just feeling so blessed today!