Tidbits from Joe

I encouraged Ashley to start this blog so she would take a break from watching Oprah and Rachel Ray while I was out working in the sweltering Florida heat....in a suit. I think she was reluctant to start but this is the only way we can keep our friends and family in the know while hundreds of miles separate us. The hardest part of this move has been just that. We miss our family and friends terribly. The Brew crew and the Linns made the adjustment a little easier. Both of these families visited us shortly after moving and they will be with us forever no matter where we move. The move would have been impossible without the help of Wendell, Blair, the Harrells, and the Grazianos. I owe them all help during their most hellacious move. I did not realize what a blessing it was to have Grammy and Pops 10 minutes away and Aunt Sissy, Uncle Adam, and Bennett practically next door. I now realize a 3 hour drive to Knoxville to see my parents really is not that bad compared to 11 hours. I miss my three little brothers terribly. I am always excited to get a call from Sam about his wrestling match or football game or jump on xbox live to play some games with Nick. I especially miss Matt who is like a twin to me and for the past 3 years while he has been in physical therapy school all we have done is dream of the day we could go play ball together like the good old days at Bryan College. Ironic how he is planning to move to Hiram just a couple months after I move to Florida. The move would be a little easier if Owen was not here. The fact that we took Owen away from two sets of grandparents and our home church that loved him was the hardest decision I have ever made in my life. However, it was necessary. Through all the doubt that has stirred in my heart over this decision to drag my family into another state one thing has been clear. We are supposed to be here. God has confirmed this repeatedly in radical ways. (Unfortunately God has to communicate with me in radical ways because I am extremely hard headed). Only God knows how long we will be here. It may be a year it may be ten but our little family continues to grow closer together and I continue to grow as a man as I learn how to follow God and put less faith in myself and more in him.