The last five months

View Larger Map The above map shows the route of our big move...starting from Tyler, Texas to Durham, NC and stopping in Jackson, TN for the night with my sister and bro-in-law. But before I tell you what we're doing here in North Carolina let me share with you the crazy last five months.

Well, let me take you even further back. I've known for a while I wanted to get my PhD in international health/epidemiology. When we moved from South Carolina to Temple, Texas, where Mike started his MDiv program, I knew I wanted to go back to school. Someday. Then, Mike was nearing graduation. And, we started talking about our "next step" as a family. Would I apply to schools? Would I continue working at Scott & White? Would Mike get his PhD? Would he look for a pastorate in the area? Would we stay at our church, Liberty Community Church?

With all these questions in mind, we knew certain things weighed heavily on our heart. We loved being close to family. I loved my job. We loved our church. So, after many heart-to-heart conversations and a weekend at the beach where we laid out our "family mission statement" (which included mission statements of who we wanted to be as individuals, as spouses, as parents, as a family unit, and as co-workers in the kingdom), we decided to move forward with me pursuing my doctorate. There were only a few schools that I wanted to apply to. My rationale for this was - If the Lord wanted me to go to school and for us to leave Temple (remember...great job, great church...) the Lord would have to help me get into a great school.

I researched schools and decided on four of them: Harvard, Johns Hopkins, University of North Carolina, and the University of Washington. I looked at rankings for schools of public health and guess which four came up at the top? Yep, the ones I applied for. Well, great...(notice the sarcasm). Oh well. It can't hurt but try. Right daddeo?? So, I applied. Here comes February of this year and I found out I was accepted to UNC but not the others...and UNC jumped up in the rankings from 2nd to the 1st spot in the schools of public health rankings. Now, i'm a huge proponent of hard work and I know this helped me get in. But the competition is big to get into UNC so I also know that the Lord had a hand in it too! Thank you Lord!

Even though I got accepted I still needed some encouragement. So, we put our house on the market. And it sold in two days. At full price. What?!? So, I took that another bout of encouragement.

Even after that, I still needed some more "prodding" from the Lord. (I was having a hard time thinking about leaving family and my job and our church.) Maybe I should have had more faith but i'm so glad that the Lord didn't give up on me. I was now worried about funding and how I was going to pay for school. Mike and I have been fortunate enough to not have any debt, except our mortgage. We did not have to pay anything for our undergraduate or Masters degrees so I was worried about having student loans. Then, I got an email from the UNC Epidemiology department offering me a teaching assistantship with full funding, health benefits, and a large stipend. These typically go to second year students so I, again, was thankful for this opportunity.

So, after getting accepted to the top school, selling our house in two days in this market, and getting full funding to school...I finally accepted the fact that the Lord was truly leading us to North Carolina.

And, here we are now. I have started school and Mike has started at a great job (these two things will become a post of their own).

But the whirlwind of what happened in February has continued through right now. Want to know what we've been doing? Here you go!

April
We receive an offer on our house on Silver Stone.
Surprise!! Jonathan Thomas Smith was born early.
Momma S is here to help with all things related to Bella and Jonathan.
We spend a night in the NICU with Jonathan for jaundice.
I go to my first of five visits to the Labor and Delivery triage area for very high blood pressures. Preeclampsia gets worse.
Thankful Momma S is here!
Mike finishes up with his last semester of his masters program.
Misses some classes because of Jonathan going to the NICU or me needing to go back to the Labor and Delivery triage area at the hospital.
Other grandmother comes into town. Preeclampsia still no fun!

May
Sister comes into town.
Enjoy watching the Royal Wedding.  Thus, starts the beginning of Bella’s love for all things princesses.
Mike graduates with his MDiv degree.
Both sets of grandparents come to visit and celebrate!
Pack entire house except what we will need to live for a month at Allison’s house.
Dad comes down to help move our stuff into Allison’s house.

June
Clean house on Silver Stone to get ready to close.
Emily’s goes back to work. Mike stays at home with both kids.
All grandparents are gone. Reality hits.
Close on house on Silver Stone.
Mike is applying for jobs.
I continue to work.
Jonathan continues to grow.
Bella continues to be cute.
LOTS of prayer was happening here.

July
Last “full” day at work for Emily. Very bittersweet day!
Drive to take kiddos to the Smith grandparents.
Fly to Durham, North Carolina for a job interview for Mike.
They offer Mike the pastor position at Immanuel Baptist Church.
He accepts!
Pack the rest of our stuff from Allison’s house to move into storage.
Keep ONLY necessary essentials…and a few toys.
Mike’s dad came down to help Mike pack things in storage.
Emily stays for three days to help train her replacement at her job.
Emily stays in house with an air mattress, suitcase, coffeepot, and a few books.
Travel to New Mexico to visit Emily’s family.
Mike travels to North Carolina to house hunt.
Put an offer on first house.
Travel back to Texas to stay at Mrs. Francis’ house.
Last day for Mike at Liberty Baptist Church. Lots of tears!!
Went to party at Alan’s house. Lots of tears again.
Emily stays in hotel overnight so get mail at the post office (they wouldn’t simply mail it to us…). Mike goes to his parents with the kids.

August
August 1-Travel back to Mike’s family to stay for a week.
August 2-Offer of first house fell through.
August 8-And we’re off! Travel for 8 hours to Aunt Allison’s house.
August 9-Travel the final 10 hours to Durham. Check into extended stay hotel.
August 10-Look at houses, again.
August 12-Mike has lots of meetings with the prospective church family.
August 13-More meetings and a churchwide dinner for us.
August 14-Mike preaches his sermon in view of a call. He gets voted in unanimously. The rest of the day was spent being incredibly thankful!
August 15-Mike goes to work as pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church.
August 16-Put an offer on second house.
August 18-Moved into Cathy Wrenn’s house. Amen for not staying an extended stay hotel anymore!! August 19-Emily goes to orientation for the PhD program.
August 21-Mike preaches his inaguaral sermon.
August 22-Decided to pull offer on second house. LOTS of work needed to be done.
August 23-Bella starts her first day of school…and does NOT want to leave. House hunting round three begins!
August 24-Emily starts her PhD program.
August 25-29-Emily has several melt-down moments about starting the PhD program. Bella has several melt-down moments because she wants to play with her friends at school or church all the time. Jonathan continues to be cute.
August 26-Emily can’t figure out parking at UNC campus.
August 27-Emily again can’t figure out parking.
August 29-Emily finally figures out parking. Much rejoicing ensues!
August 30-Put in offer on third home.
August 31-Negotiations are complete and the contract is signed!

September
Breathe, breathe, breathe!
Emily and Mike and very grateful for how everything has turned out.
Bella is adorable.
Jonathan gets teeth and rolls over and drools over everything.
The Smith Family is tired but happy!

The.End. (Now, everyone go get some ice cream. I'm tired just reading through all of that again...) =)