Over a Year...

Maybe I won't even post this post, but - - -

Today I realized again that we've been in N.C. for over a year.

Sometimes it's something small:

• There's a festival coming up and realize we were here for it last year...

• and another street fest...they love their festivals here in October.
  

• and, today - we were at a pizza place in town and I saw a li'l family I noticed when we first moved here. They had the teeeeeeeniest, tiniest baby I think I'd ever seen. I mean, Bilda was pretty small and, hell - she was only about 2 months old when we moved here. But this baby was sooooo tiny. Anyway, we saw them today and I had to comment to them on how she's grown! Her mom said she'd be a year old next month and tears started to well up in my eyes. Another reminder for me.

• AND on the way home today, I ordered a warm coffee. I've had them iced for soooo many months now. And believe it or not - it tasted completely different. It brought me back to what seems like an eternity ago. When we were new here and all we knew was to come into town and shop. It was the same drive back to our home from the nearest, biggest (AND SMALLEST) towns in the world in our neck of the woods and the feeling just made my stomach sink and my heart ache.
  

This has been a good year. It's been a crazy year. It's been emotional for me to leave everyone I love behind. But, I have been happy, too. We have become a stronger, tiny family. We are content just being together.

And that comes from the calm that I have because I know we'll be home again someday.

Though I am still the most impatient person I know. (Besides my little daughter. But even she is gaining a little more patience.)