coming to fruition

well y'all, it's one week from today. this time next week i'll hopefully be on the outskirts of jacksonville headed on to savannah and then to charlotte. it's crazy to think that day is almost here since this hope of moving home to north carolina really came to fruition last august. eight months later, here i go!

quick update: the Lord graciously threw a hiccup in my steps last week after i applied for a condo rental and i spent all weekend praying for favor and a big fat YES from the owner. i got that YES on monday and was overjoyed (still am). i have a new home! in all of this, i'm reminded that God wants the glory and it's never anything that i do....it's always Him. always.

my new home!!

i posted this on facebook and twitter, but it's worth reiterating. it seems like every time i turn around, God makes another connection for me in charlotte...

i run across someone from high school

reconnect with someone from childhood

someone offers to have me over for dinner

someone offers to show me around

someone wants to meet for coffee or lunch

a friend wants me to meet her friend when i get there

someone offers to help me get plugged in at my new church

...you get the picture: community. it's a beautiful thing. i already feel home and i'm not even there yet. God is so good. His blessings blow me away time and time again.

all that being said, i'll be off the grid for a bit while i adjust and get settled in my new home. but i can't wait to call myself a north carolina resident again. come visit me!

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

an object in motion

i'm an object in motion. and i'll be staying in motion for a while. my life is once again defined by boxes, labels, tape guns, and suitcases. besides working and coaching (and the occasional workout), my life is consumed by packing. whether it's packing up my house to move across the bridge to st. petersburg or packing a suitcase for one of the crazy adventures waiting around the corner...i pack. between now and may 26th, here's what i have ahead of me:

kansas city, mo :: volleyball

greenville, nc :: see the sis

chapel hill, nc :: visiting the Davis fam again

moving to st. pete :: mom's coming to help!

new orleans, la :: Kat's wedding

st. augustine, fl :: beach time with Ginny and fam

orlando, fl :: volleyball

yeah, i may just not unpack until June. boxes...yes. suitcases...we shall see. i'm about to be on a whirlwind of a rollercoaster, but i'm so excited for each thing on that list that i can hardly contain myself.

back to the boxes...

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

have you heard? there's a rumor in st. petersburg...

life is good...despite the fact that it is going in 12 different directions and spinning while it moves. literally moves. i didn't mean to make that funny, but i did. go me.

yes, i'm moving again. not as far as branson to tampa, but i am moving to a new city...technically speaking. i'm finally migrating across the bridge to st. petersburg. i love that city. it was just a matter of time before it happened.

so while the thought of putting anything in a box makes me want to vomit uncontrollably, i'm super excited for this change. moving in with katie is an answered prayer and i'm excited to see her more often. she's been my go to buddy since i moved. ironically, we moved the exact same weekend last year...God's cool like that. katie loves adventure. loves the Lord. she's a lion-otter (just like tracy who i would have married yesterday). and her middle name is rebekah. i mean, could it get any better? i submit not.

even though i feel like vomiting every second (i already said that didn't i?) and am dreading packing boxes (and my car) for the trek across the bridge, my body feels like i've just had an entire day at the spa with full treatment and the works. my heart is exploding with anticipation and joy. kinda like the feeling when you leave durham and cross back over into Chapel Hill. excitement. joy. relief. home.

i love st. pete for many reasons, one of which is that it reminds me of asheville...just with sand and salt water instead of mountains. and for now, i'm okay with the beach version of home.

if you want my new address, let me know. i won't be posting it on the blog for obvious reasons. the invite for visitors still stands as well. i think i'm gonna like life on the other side of the bridge with my new fabulous roomie. i might even start to love it down here. :)

 

(at Rascal Flatts last summer)

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

from resident to visitor

a line from the book i just finished reading said...

"I realize with a wave of remorse and panic that Andy and I have suddenly, instantly morphed into visitors--tourists--in a city where we once resided."

this, unfortunately, is the story of my life. both Asheville and Branson have become just that for me. vacation destinations with memories of once being home.

yes, part of me will always consider Asheville "home" (i answered a coworker's question in that mindset just the other day actually), but my days of hopping in the car and running errands in this eclectic mountain town every day are done. i enjoy the moments when i'm home, obviously, and i'm tempted to relocate at times, but that's part of growing up and building my own grown up life. i don't get to stay forever. some stay, some go. i'm a go-er. as hard as it is, i'm a go-er.

and Branson is the same way in a different way. no biological family, but pretty darn close when it comes to how much of my heart is invested in the people there. but now i'm a tourist. i can proudly claim the status of a "has been local" though, and you better believe i will. i had my taney county driver's license that was good for local discounts at one point. so can i get an amen?

all that being said, i hope that someday i can say the same about tampa. i don't plan to live in tampa forever. let's be honest, i'm a mountain girl through and through. the beach will never float my boat. i crave the mountains. i crave crisp, cool air. i crave hikes and camping. sand is my enemy. here's to hoping tampa becomes a place full of rich relationships where my heart is fully invested and i can one day look back and say it truly felt like home for a time.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

migrating south

here are a few pics from my migration south to tampa and some pics of the whole unpacking and settling in process. more pics of the final product to come, but for now here ya go. :)

open road in arkansas. glorious.

on the road somewhere between birmingham and tampa.

oh hey birth town!!

mom and pops helping assemble my bathroom storage unit.

ta da!!

what once was a nice wardrobe box is now a crumpled piece of cardboard with clothes in it.

and let the unpacking begin...

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

it came!!

so, for those of you who have been praying, THANK YOU!! my stuff arrived yesterday morning and we (i say that loosely) got it all unloaded and into the house. i have the world's greatest dad. he worked himself like a dog helping the movers get my stuff into the house while i was at work. and he weighed every single piece that came off the truck so we'd have an accurate weight. (turns out my stuff was 1,608 pounds and not 3,280 like they originally quoted.)


pops is the best. not only did he make two drives to FL in back to back weekends, but this is also the week of his Sports Outreach golf tournament. he's swamped, but he made it a priority to be here and help me. again, my dad is the world's best. if you're reading this, i love you dad and really appreciate how helpful you've been through the whole moving process.


now to unpack and get everything settled into its new home. pictures to come once that happens, but don't hold your breath on that.


bekah


live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

i made it!!

image

...well, i made it to Tampa!! the sunshine and warmth greeted me (along with my two awesome parents who drove down from NC and my fabulous roomie Becca). so glad to have left the cold, dreary, rain in Missouri, but i definitely miss the quality people i left behind. i wouldn't mind if you all decided to come check on me. hint hint.


but like i said, i made it. however, my stuff didn't. the truck with all my stuff is in Texas. or at least it was on Friday when i talked to the driver. nevermind the fact that it was supposed to be in Tampa on Saturday morning. argh. luckily i at least packed my toothbrush, clean underwear, and a few other things in my car so i'll manage until the truck comes this weekend. the most frustrating part about all of it is that they weren't even going to let me know that it's coming a week late. i found out because i called to check in on the delivery window. nice surprise. woof.


there's not much i can do about it except bite my tongue (i'm still working on that) and wait until they show up with my stuff. i've been belittled, yelled at, ignored, and hung up on by the company, so i'm not really excited about them being part of my life for another week. but i suppose i can endure a few more insulting conversations if it means i get some answers on where exactly my things are and when exactly they plan on showing up at my house. hopefully friday night, but we'll see. i'll keep you posted.


new job training starts tomorrow morning. i'm excited. it'll be a new enough challenge to keep me on my toes, but not so new that i'm in over my head. or at least that's my impression thus far. all that could change, but i doubt it. if it's sink or swim, i choose swim. but somehow i don't think that's going to be an issue. i'm sure i'll have more to say on this as well, but for now...i'm signing off to go figure out what i'm going to wear (had to buy a few new pieces that are work appropriate since all my clothes are on the MIA moving truck).


love from Tampa!!


bekah


live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

piece of my heart

the hardest part about leaving branson will be the people. i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again. part of my heart will always be here. these are the people who will rip part of my heart out when i say goodbye and head south. i just don’t wanna go because i don’t wanna leave them. i want to stay and be part of these girls’ lives as they grow and develop. i better have a visitor or two in Tampa. that’s all i have to say.

shayla and trish. just come with me, please?

dock time with shay shay at k2.

candy is always a must.

silver dollar city date day.

mal, lb, linds, and me. love me some boone girls!!

bandeaus at the boonedocks.

SJVC 15 Red. the loves of my life. so much personality!!

 blinded forever, but at least there's a picture to show for it.

they're camera shy, can you tell?

 there goes my groin.

 i think Syd wants me to stay...

yummy cupcakes!!

LOVE these kids more than they'll ever know.

april just gets me. so fun to have such a talented vb partner & loyal friend. love you!!

...that being said, i'm off. headed south. but part of me will stay here. tampa bound with a pit stop in birmingham. bon voyage to me!!

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

one week

one week from today i will pull into beautiful, sunny (probably not so sunny at the hour i'll arrive) Tampa. i'm stoked. giddy. excited. eager.


but on the flip side, i've recently gotten glimpses  of just how hard it will be to say goodbye to the people i love so much here in branson and springfield. as in, almost cried in public. almost. whoa. 


about a month ago, two of my dearest friends in the entire world threw me a surprise party. i was clueless. utterly clueless. apparently i'm terrible at noticing obvious things like my friends plotting surprise gatherings, but i'm freakishly adept at noticing when a pen is put back the wrong way or a hand towel isn't hanging in the perfect tri-fold. i'm weird like that.

needless to say, i was humbled that my two friends would take a night to honor me and make me feel so loved and special. it was literally the only free night they had until i move. and they planned a party!! they're priceless. i might kidnap them and stuff them in my car when i pull out. i'm sure no one will miss them. ;) oh, and i'm not sure what this says about me, but the only two times i've ever had a surprise party, the "distractor" has taken me to get ice cream. woopsies! guess my friends know i won't suspect anything if they request a random dessert run!

one week. 7 days to continue being intentional with these two fabulous friends. they're a huge part of my life and forever will be.

shay shay and trish

let's be real, i'll probably spend the first 3 hours of my 18 hour trek sobbing about the fact that i won't be 5 minutes away from them anymore. no more random run-ins and chances to play "mom" when Trish is out of town. boo.


i'm also still coping with the fact that i don't get to see my vb kiddos on a multi-weekly basis anymore. they are nine insanely awesome joys in my life. i can't imagine not being obsessed with them the way that i am. it was an honor to be their coach and earn their trust and respect on the court and in life. i want to continue to be an influence in their life for as long as they'll allow me to be.


we had a team cookout this past saturday to close our season and it was the epitome of bittersweet. we were all looking forward to it so much that we kind of forgot it was our last hurrah. sad. so sad. lots of tears were shed (not by me obviously). i won't be able to get back soon enough for a visit. i just won't. they are my heart and soul.

SJVC 15 Red

the Boones (and several co-workers) also threw me a surprise party this past tuesday. thirty or so of my closest branson (and springfield) friends showed up at the house to greet me when i got home from zumba. such a fun surprise!!!! i was humbled to see how many people would take time to show me how much they care. they've each had a specific impact in my life and it was neat to see the level to which i've affected their lives as well. it's such an honor to call each of them a friend.


HUGE thanks to those who organized, the Boones for graciously hosting, and my friends who came just for being your awesomely supportive selves. y'all are the best and will definitely be missed. visit me!!

Boone girls: LB, Jane, Mal, and Linds

April: my other half and volleyball loving friend

Kanakuk gals with our cupcakes on our most recent Girls Night Out

thank you to Allegiant Air for flying cheaply from St. Pete to Springfield. you will become my best friend. i will be back to visit all these fabulous people and many others that don't have pictures up today.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

quote of the week

"you never really leave a place or person you love; part of them you take with you, leaving a part of yourself behind."

                       - anonymous             

i'm not sure if there's another quote that could describe the condition of my heart right now more so than this one. my level of excitement for life in a new city is matched equally by an aching sadness over leaving the people i've come to love and adore here in branson, ozark, and springfield.

if any of you readers out there want to send a moving gift my way, send it in the form of an airline voucher for a flight back to visit. my return trip won't come soon enough. i'd love to make it back at some point this summer, but that just doesn't seem very realistic right now. insert frown, crossed arms, and pouty lower lip.

but, in all seriousness, the community here will always have a piece of my heart. i may not adore branson itself, but i definitely adore the people here. kanakuk and springfield juniors volleyball club have a huge place in my heart forever.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

moving

this is what my weekend is going to consist of: packing, packing, and more packing. woof!!

image

i have to be all packed up and ready for the movers by next wednesday because on thursday, i hit the road (well air) to Chapel Hill for Mo and Alan's wedding. yay!! can't wait for the wedding, but i'm doing some serious dragging of my feet on this whole "pack your life into boxes" thing. yuck. but on the bright side...when i unpack them, i'll be in sunshine-y florida. 


so here's to a productive weekend filled with boxes, bubble wrap, peanuts, sharpies, and tape. 


live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

33609

33609. that's where i'm headed. i'm sure lots of people are booking flights down there in the coming months. so am i. well, i'm not booking a flight so to speak, but i am on a one-way trip to Tampa, FL. i'm taking the plunge and making a "why not?" move while i can. yep, you heard me. moving. as in, packing all my stuff. filing for a change of address. getting a new driver's license. putting on my big girl panties and making a change. moving.


what the heck?


i know, i thought the same thing. totally out of character for a super-planner, non-risk taker like myself. (disclaimer: i'm a huge thrill-seeker and sucker for risk-taking in that department, but not when it comes to big life decisions....stability dictates most of my big decisions). but, here i am, announcing to the blogging world that i'm moving to Tampa. i have a fabulous friend Becca that lives down there, so i'm moving into her batch pad with her and can't wait to do daily life together. fro yo date nights are a definite must.


leaving my friends and community in Branson will be insanely challenging. i'm already dreading the tough conversations that will inevitably take place as i say my goodbyes and pull out of Branson. so not a fan. anyone wanna hop in my car and come with me?


i love this little quirky town. if you don't believe me, re-visit this previous post. the people here are cream of the crop phenomenal. and i'm humbled to be part their lives on a daily basis. and if i could take them with me, i would. because of them, part of me will always be in Branson.


this is where i had my first "real job" and had to make it on my own. mom and dad didn't have connections for me to tap into or people they knew who could help me get on my feet. it was my turn to grow up and learn to survive. i've never seen the Lord more at work in my life than in the past 2.5 years. my "success" here was completely Him. He provided. He stretched me. He never failed me.


as i prepare to say goodbye to Branson and the fabulous friends i have here, i'm crazy sad. (and when i say Branson, that includes my faves in Springfield and Ozark too.) my heart may just rip out of my chest a few times when i look my kiddos in the face and tell them i won't be here to coach them again.


but i'm also bursting with eager anticipation to see what the Lord has for me in Tampa. i'll be the first to tell you that i hate the beach. i hate the sand. i hate salt water. i much prefer the lake and fresh water. but to Tampa i go. and i'm pumped. i don't doubt that the Lord has awesome opportunities in store for me down there. i'm trusting Him. He promises to be faithful. He has never failed me and never will. He always provides. i'm confident He'll provide this time around too.


i have just under 3 months to finish well here in B-town. there's still so much i want to accomplish before i leave. the hit list has been started. i also want to make this transition as smooth as possible, so your prayers are certainly welcomed. here's to taking a few risks and doing something big like moving halfway across the country without a job. eastern standard time...here i come!!


bekah


and just in case you need a little extra incentive to visit me, here are a few pics of my new stomping grounds and the beaches nearby. y'all weren't exactly chomping at the bit to visit me in "old people Vegas", but somehow i have a feeling you'll be a little more eager to visit me in the sunshine state...

our clubhouse

(credit: Becca Christensen)

our pool

(credit: Becca Christensen)

Tampa skyline

(credit: google "Tampa Bay" images)

Tampa/St. Pete beaches

(credit: google "Tampa Bay" images)

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.