The Sweet Life

Moving to Franklin has been something of a surreal experience. In some ways, everything is new, especially for the kids - a new place to live, new routines (or lack thereof), new friends, and yet there is a familiarity - the streets, the stores, the restaurants, the old friends, and the family. In some ways, I feel like I am still catching my breath, and I've spent a fair amount of time feeling simply overwhelmed. But, last week gratitude found me in an unexpected place.

Sitting with my family on a Tuesday afternoon at Sweet CeCe's, I was all-of-a-sudden overwhelmed, but in a new way. After taking Lillie to her six month checkup (while my mom watched the big kids), Mom and I had lunch and ran errands (including taking Sophie to get measured

for her violin!), then we bought fresh fruits and veggies at a produce stand. Already, we'd had a busy, but great day! Then mom, the kids and I met up with Matt, Tori and Derek at Sweet CeCe's, and in the chaos of "two-punch Tuesday" ran into good friends from TPC.

Now already I'd taken Lillie to a doctor's appointment, giving her focused time and attention, without hearing only half of what the doctor was saying from Sophie interrupting or from Will trying to squeeze the life out of Lillie. I'd watched my mom and Sophie grinning from ear-to-ear walking out of the same studio where I took music lessons as a child. And as I watched my kids playing with their aunt and uncle, and had my sister calm my fussy baby so I could relax, and watched my children interacting with their grandmother on a random Tuesday afternoon, I was overwhelmed with gratitude.

I realized that just a couple of short months ago, Tuesday afternoons looked very different. Though we were very happy in Atlanta, and we miss our friends and neighbors, there is nothing like being with old friends and family. We are living in the town we consider home, surrounded

by the people we love most on the earth. Matt has a challenging

job that he is passionate about, my

dad is cancer-free, and we have three amazing, healthy children.

Plus, we go to Sweet CeCe's for "two-punch Tuesday" nearly every week!

Life is sweet, and I am overwhelmingly grateful.