East Asia to the East Coast to East Texas. Big Ol' Foreign City to Beantown to the City of Roses.
Yep, the Smiths are moving to Tyler, Texas.
And my Texas talk is already coming out. I mean, I just said "Big ol'" for Pete's sake, y'all.
Nick has accepted a job working for his dad's company, Penco Oil, filling a new position in finance and accounting. He's excited to get more experience in these areas and to learn from his dad, who really has done a great job running Penco and building up his business. Nick would love to work for a non-profit (or even a for-profit) one day that is involved with social enterprise (i.e. social development, microfinance, etc.), doing finance and/or accounting. We think this job is a great first step toward that, and we are excited for him to get started. We plan to be in Tyler for at least a year and a half or two years, if not more. I'm going to be staying at home with Ellie, which I am really feeling good about! Nick has been taking care of her while I've been working full-time the last few weeks, and we are both excited to "switch" roles. Nick's gonna bring home the bacon. And I'm going to fry the bacon (errrr... yeah, something like that). And hopefully have some time to work on music.
By the way, I am in love with bacon.
But I digress...
We have a lot of mixed emotions as we think about moving to Tyler. We are excited to move to Texas and to be within driving distance of our friends and family. I'm planning some day trips to Dallas to see friends and family there, and some overnight trips to Houston (I miss my parents!). We are excited to be close to Nick's family. Nick is looking forward to being hot (temperature hot, that is). I'm not so excited about that, but I'm excited about jumping in the lake... in March... which is unthinkable up here! :) And for those of you who know me well, you know that I'm excited about the food. The BBQ, the burgers and, above all, the Tex Mex. Mmmm, mmmm!
But we're also scared. We really don't know anyone in Tyler except for Nick's family. After living in such tight community here, in East Asia, and in Dallas, it's so hard for me to imagine literally having no friends outside of family and starting from scratch.
Hello, I'm Caroline. My friends think my awkwardness is funny, but you probably think I'm just awkward. I write songs, but you've never heard them. I bet you have a story, and a great one, but I don't know it and you don't know mine.
No friend to call up if I want to meet someone for coffee. No friend to go on a walk with. There are other things too - not having a church, not being sure of where I can play music or how I can use those gifts, not being used to living in a "smaller" town (although it's really not that small) - but I think community is the kicker. The most felt need for both of us. The thing we keep praying for as we prepare to move.
Although we know that this will be a hard transition, we also know deep down that God has a good plan and purpose - for both of us individually and for us as a couple - in Tyler. I know that my identity is not in who my friends are, or what people think of me, or music, but in Christ alone. I know that God is taking us to a place that is uncomfortable for us for a reason, and we truly are excited about how He will grow us and the new relationships that He will bring to us.
Yep, the Smiths are moving to East Texas. A place we didn't imagine living. But a place that God did lead us to, through open doors and shut doors and prayer. So, we move. Knowing it will be hard, but also knowing God is faithful.
So, come visit us anytime in the City of Roses. We have an extra bedroom. And I'll even fry you up some bacon. :)
