Building a social life from scratch

Moving to an area where you know no one is scary...especially when you have a really established core group of friends that you are leaving. Our biggest struggle while we've lived in Illinois has been figuring out how to find all new friends when you have no one to start with...it can be a lonely time (luckily, we had each other)

Well, Meghan and I are both taking some big steps in our lives here in Illinois. I've lived here for about a year and Meghan has been here for a half a year but really we've only done things with each other the whole time we've been here. I think the biggest thing we've both been missing since being down here is actually hanging out with other people of the same sex. While we really love spending time together, sometimes you just need to be apart and have fun with other people too (all you married couples know what I mean).

We joined a great small group here at our church, and as a result made our first real friends here. Its been so nice knowing other people that we can build relationships with. This Friday Meghan has a "girls night" with a bunch of the girls from the small group. I am excited for her to get out and hang out with them...honestly, I think its really good for us. I don't know what they are doing really but I am sure they will have a lot of fun. Since we only have one car now...looks like I'll be chillin at home for the night.

I joined an indoor flag football league and talked two of the guys from the small group into joining with me. Man, I needed this league. It's so nice to just have some time to play sports again and to spend some time with the boys. So we had our first game on the 29th, though we had NO idea what we were getting ourselves into. Let's just say it showed. After being thoroughly humiliated by one of the better teams in the league (they even had team shirts) we regrouped and talked some strategy. We came back this past Monday and beat the team we played...the final score was 50-8!!!! Wow, did that feel nice! I think we all started to get a better feel for where our role with the team was going to be. My goal is to be the Wes Welker of the team!

While IL might never be "home" for us, its finally feeling like a place where we can enjoy life as long as God has us here! I am excited to see what God has in store for us here in Illinois. Its been a very trying time so far, but also a time of tremendous growth as a couple and I look forward to even more! My memory verse for this week reflects how our life has been so far since our wedding:

Hebrews 12:11 -
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."