Oh man it's been a really long time since I have put my thoughts onto paper... or on a blog! Life since my last blog has changed in so many ways. We left Raleigh, North Carolina in July 2017 with no real plan in mind other than to travel for the month of August. We got out of debt in May 2017 and began to save, save, save for our trip back to Ireland and over to Greece. What a wonderful trip it was... stay tuned, one day I WILL blog it! ha! We got to see family that I hadn't seen in years, explored new placed, took a bus all around the South of Ireland and really just BREATHED! It felt good to 'escape' and be renewed!
It's funny how a place can make you feel so alive. I miss Ireland a lot these days, so this trip was really emotional for me. We have now decided to make it a big trip once a year! It's the only way to keep me from moving back ;) lol!
Anyway, enough of that, I will save the details of this for another blog post.
We returned from our trip at the end of August, still not really having any idea what State or City we would end up in. No jobs lined up. We just knew we wanted to be around an hour from my family and significantly closer to Peter's.
The day after we arrived home, Peter got a call from the UPS office in Gettysburg, PA and he went to an interview. We had been driving around some areas nearby, desperately hoping to find somewhere scenic that was a good distance from my parents. We found a little town called Chambersburg and fell in love with its quaint, hallmark style feel. It had little local shops, a few coffee shops, an old bookstore and was surrounded in beautiful hills and mountains everywhere! Afer Pete's interview, we learned that Chambersburg terminal was hiring and needing people!! (YAY) He contacted their UPS office and flew through the interviews... as he always does ;) he's brilliant like that!!!
After that, thing started really falling into place. Peter was hired by UPS and we found the most perfect house to rent in a really nice neighborhood with amazing views! It felt too good to be true!! God is SOOOO faithful and so good.
Skip ahead to October. We moved into our new house and loved it even more than when we first viewed it! Setting up home has always been something I love! I also had been interviewing for nanny positions in the area for weeks but had nothing come up in the area and had been offered a job out of state about 1 hour away. I was almost ready to take it (secretly hoping I'd hear from a local family) when I received a message from an interested LOCAL family!! We happened to be free the same day and met with them right away.
Let's just say, the family was the perfect fit!! I was able to start immediately and feel in love with the sweet little boy instantly! It's now 3 months in and I am loving my job and family I nanny for. They are respectful of my job, my time and talents. I have even been able to spend time with them outside of 'work' which has been a lot of fun!!! So thankful for them all. But goodness, as always the little one I nanny has me really eager to begin my own family. What a joy!
Peter has also been enjoying his job but kind of been bounced here there and everywhere between positions as he is new. This has been a challenge for him but he is glad for the job and we just have to find a new rhythm to move at.
We hosted Thanksgiving Dinner this year and had Peter's Dad and brother as well as my family which was so nice! Hosting is one of my favorite things!! We have really enjoyed being closer to both sides of our families and have already been travelling to see everyone so much that we have hardly been home at the weekends, but that's okay- Family comes first!
My last blog post mentioned me possibly planning to pursue a new career and that has finally started to take shape!! I start school again at the end of January to finish my pre reqs toward nursing. I have decided to go back to school to become a nurse and perhaps something more in the future. This was not an easy decision and it has been made after a lot of doubting myself, tough reality checks and so much prayer!! The passion for people and medicine has grown SO much in a year and I am so eager to use my love for sick people and love for people in general to do something hands on to make lives better and a little happier!
This will be a long process as we plan to do this out of pocket to avoid loans and also because I am taking it slow. This long out of school is going to take me some time to get my head back to it all haha!!
So there you have it, our little 2017 update! We are enjoying our new home here in Pennsylvania and especially loving the snow we got recently and the chilly 'sweater' weather :)
I sit here writing this blog on Monday 1st January 2018. My mind has not switched off and I felt I wanted to share with you all where we have been and share some of my personal goals for this year. So much can happen in 1 year which can be terrifying but also so wonderful! So much potential. A year without any mistakes, failures, marks... nothing. A clean, fresh new year!
Last year was the first year that I actually shared my goals but It was really neat to look back on how much we have accomplished and I am a firm believer that you won't get anywhere without goals, so here we go again.
2018 GOALS: *in no particular order*
1) To be a more present wife and friend (less screen time and more person time)
2) Get into a bible study/ quiet time morning routine
3) To master 8 difficult recipes
4) Get accepted into the Nursing program at school
5) Pass all my classes
6) Read at least 10 books this year (not school textbooks) ;)
7) Get into better shape and eat, live healthier
8) Visit London, Scotland and Ireland again in 2018
9) To Volunteer
10) Make a date night with NO CELL PHONES and stick to it! Really try to grown closer to my sweet Hubby!
11) Blog more!
That's all I have right now but I wanted to share my 2017 last year goals to show how much God has done so here is the link to see that:
http://bethanyjoyphotography.com/raleigh-north-hills-nc-uncategorized/new-year-new-goals-hello-2017/
Lastly, I leave you with a few of my favorite tunes that I have listened to this year (some that I had playing while writing this) if you need some tunes to chill out to, I have you covered ;)
.Coldplay- Things I don't understand
.Gregory Alan Isakov- Big Black Car
.The Temper Trap- Sweet Disposition
.Brandi Carlile- The things I regret
.Mumford & Sons- Hold on to what you believe
.Bear's Den- Sahara Pt. II
.Ben Rector- Song for the suburbs
.Johnnyswim- Home
.Ben Rector- Note to self
.Banners- Start a riot
.Elton John- My Fathers gun
.Foy Vance- Guiding Light
Bethany xo
It's funny how a place can make you feel so alive. I miss Ireland a lot these days, so this trip was really emotional for me. We have now decided to make it a big trip once a year! It's the only way to keep me from moving back ;) lol!
Anyway, enough of that, I will save the details of this for another blog post.
We returned from our trip at the end of August, still not really having any idea what State or City we would end up in. No jobs lined up. We just knew we wanted to be around an hour from my family and significantly closer to Peter's.
The day after we arrived home, Peter got a call from the UPS office in Gettysburg, PA and he went to an interview. We had been driving around some areas nearby, desperately hoping to find somewhere scenic that was a good distance from my parents. We found a little town called Chambersburg and fell in love with its quaint, hallmark style feel. It had little local shops, a few coffee shops, an old bookstore and was surrounded in beautiful hills and mountains everywhere! Afer Pete's interview, we learned that Chambersburg terminal was hiring and needing people!! (YAY) He contacted their UPS office and flew through the interviews... as he always does ;) he's brilliant like that!!!
After that, thing started really falling into place. Peter was hired by UPS and we found the most perfect house to rent in a really nice neighborhood with amazing views! It felt too good to be true!! God is SOOOO faithful and so good.
Skip ahead to October. We moved into our new house and loved it even more than when we first viewed it! Setting up home has always been something I love! I also had been interviewing for nanny positions in the area for weeks but had nothing come up in the area and had been offered a job out of state about 1 hour away. I was almost ready to take it (secretly hoping I'd hear from a local family) when I received a message from an interested LOCAL family!! We happened to be free the same day and met with them right away.
Let's just say, the family was the perfect fit!! I was able to start immediately and feel in love with the sweet little boy instantly! It's now 3 months in and I am loving my job and family I nanny for. They are respectful of my job, my time and talents. I have even been able to spend time with them outside of 'work' which has been a lot of fun!!! So thankful for them all. But goodness, as always the little one I nanny has me really eager to begin my own family. What a joy!
Peter has also been enjoying his job but kind of been bounced here there and everywhere between positions as he is new. This has been a challenge for him but he is glad for the job and we just have to find a new rhythm to move at.
We hosted Thanksgiving Dinner this year and had Peter's Dad and brother as well as my family which was so nice! Hosting is one of my favorite things!! We have really enjoyed being closer to both sides of our families and have already been travelling to see everyone so much that we have hardly been home at the weekends, but that's okay- Family comes first!
My last blog post mentioned me possibly planning to pursue a new career and that has finally started to take shape!! I start school again at the end of January to finish my pre reqs toward nursing. I have decided to go back to school to become a nurse and perhaps something more in the future. This was not an easy decision and it has been made after a lot of doubting myself, tough reality checks and so much prayer!! The passion for people and medicine has grown SO much in a year and I am so eager to use my love for sick people and love for people in general to do something hands on to make lives better and a little happier!
This will be a long process as we plan to do this out of pocket to avoid loans and also because I am taking it slow. This long out of school is going to take me some time to get my head back to it all haha!!
So there you have it, our little 2017 update! We are enjoying our new home here in Pennsylvania and especially loving the snow we got recently and the chilly 'sweater' weather :)
I sit here writing this blog on Monday 1st January 2018. My mind has not switched off and I felt I wanted to share with you all where we have been and share some of my personal goals for this year. So much can happen in 1 year which can be terrifying but also so wonderful! So much potential. A year without any mistakes, failures, marks... nothing. A clean, fresh new year!
Last year was the first year that I actually shared my goals but It was really neat to look back on how much we have accomplished and I am a firm believer that you won't get anywhere without goals, so here we go again.
2018 GOALS: *in no particular order*
1) To be a more present wife and friend (less screen time and more person time)
2) Get into a bible study/ quiet time morning routine
3) To master 8 difficult recipes
4) Get accepted into the Nursing program at school
5) Pass all my classes
6) Read at least 10 books this year (not school textbooks) ;)
7) Get into better shape and eat, live healthier
8) Visit London, Scotland and Ireland again in 2018
9) To Volunteer
10) Make a date night with NO CELL PHONES and stick to it! Really try to grown closer to my sweet Hubby!
11) Blog more!
That's all I have right now but I wanted to share my 2017 last year goals to show how much God has done so here is the link to see that:
http://bethanyjoyphotography.com/raleigh-north-hills-nc-uncategorized/new-year-new-goals-hello-2017/
Lastly, I leave you with a few of my favorite tunes that I have listened to this year (some that I had playing while writing this) if you need some tunes to chill out to, I have you covered ;)
.Coldplay- Things I don't understand
.Gregory Alan Isakov- Big Black Car
.The Temper Trap- Sweet Disposition
.Brandi Carlile- The things I regret
.Mumford & Sons- Hold on to what you believe
.Bear's Den- Sahara Pt. II
.Ben Rector- Song for the suburbs
.Johnnyswim- Home
.Ben Rector- Note to self
.Banners- Start a riot
.Elton John- My Fathers gun
.Foy Vance- Guiding Light
Bethany xo