Where We've Been and Where We're Going...

Well, helloooooooo stranger!  (brushes dust from keyboard)

It's been pretty lonesome at the blog lately.  No worries, I have no plans to abandon this sucker completely.  In fact, we'll be needing it much more very soon (teaser...)!  I'm not sure what form it will take, but it will certainly continue to bring you the latest and greatest from the Stavenger family.

You may be wondering, WHERE have I been?  If you're social media savvy, you know I've had my hands full with a big project.  Remember when I told you that maybe, MAYBE in my distant dreams, I could make a go of being a calligrapher?  Well, I took a big step towards that dream by opening my own Etsy shop!  It's been a learning curve, I'm still figuring out the ins and outs of the business, but for the most part I've been very happy with it.  Now I just need to get some more prints out the door, and I'd be even happier.  OH!  You want to order one, you say?  Head on over to All The Pretty Letters and check it out!

Now, for the biggie.
And I do mean big.

A couple years ago, we started searching for the perfect place for our family to put down roots.  Our sights were set on the great state of Colorado, and we began to pursue a job there for Chris.  Unfortunately, we felt God closing doors all over the place.  Housing was expensive, jobs weren't available, there was an uneasiness in our spirit...the list goes on.  Reluctantly, we surrendered that dream and opened ourselves up to ANY direction God may point us.

As we explored various corners of the country, one area in particular caught our eye.  Having never been there, Chris and I visited Charlotte, North Carolina a year and a half ago.  We fell in love with it.  Both of us felt a strong pull in our hearts toward this city.  And though we had no immediate plans to relocate, we added it to our list of possibilities for the future.  The future came quickly last spring, with a near-miss landing a job.  It was disappointing, but we put our trust in God's timing and resumed life as usual.

Then, a few weeks ago Chris had the opportunity to interview for what seemed to be a job tailor-made for him.  It exceeded every expectation he had, and they were quite satisfied with him.  We waited anxiously and prayerfully for "the" phone call for several days, and when it came, we excitedly accepted the offer.  This means, of course...

WE'RE MOVING TO NORTH CAROLINA!

While I'm SO excited about what is to come, I'm in the process of sorting through a lot of emotions...namely, the anxiety that comes with a cross-country move.  I know some of you have done this, and done it frequently, so I covet your advice and recommendations!  Also causing me an element of sadness is the impending separation from our friends and family here in Fargo/Moorhead.  I'm grateful that we will always have a reason to come back and visit, with some family rooted in this area.  

So that explains why the blog has been a little sleepy, and why it may be pretty sparse in the weeks to come as we have much to do in preparation for this adventure.  But on the other side of this mess, you can count on frequent updates from us as we attempt to keep you all as near as possible virtually.  Thanks for being a part of our lives, and for your support in all of our endeavors!