www.WeHavetheInternet.com

It's true . . . as of last night the Ross house is a high tech establishment . . . the primary purpose of this post is to let everyone know that email is no longer the most unreliable way to get in touch with us. (Well, technically the carrier pigeon was and is the most unreliable way . . . but you know . . . ) So feel free to flood our in-boxes beyond work hours =)

Fall

Fall is my absolute favorite season . . . and it's finally on its way. The high in Charlotte is down to the 80's (which, for me and my freakish coldness means it's almost sweater weather), the breeze is blowing, and a large pot of soup and homemade bread is on the menu for next week.

This fall also marks my "retirement" from the professional world. At the end of September I'll be leaving the job I've been at for the past year and I'll get to be a full time homemaker! I'm so so so very excited. It was a difficult decision to make, I really enjoy being an accountant (really, I do!), our savings account has really liked me having a job, and I have had a job since I was in 10th grade (with maybe a 3 month break in there during my Sr. year of high school). It's going to be a huge change for me! But Greg and I are full of faith that this is the way that God is leading us and I'm so excited for all of the 'pros' of this change! I'll get to finish up projects around the house, develop my hobbies, spend more time studying the Bible and growing in my relationship with the Lord, build relationships with many of the wonderful ladies that God's put in my path, and so much more (that list isn't necessarily in order of importance).

The next question that most people have been asking as soon as I tell them that I'm "retiring" is "Are you pregnant." No, I'm not. Just thought I'd clear that up before I got even more questions =)

I'm super excited for Sept. 28 to come along and so thankful for the time that I'll have not working before we have children. I know that's not the case for many women, so I definitely see this as a tremendous blessing, not a right to which I am entitled. So, if you think about it, pray for me as head into this new season that the Lord would use this time to prepare me for what's to come and that one day as I look back I would see that much fruit was born - and that I wouldn't waste any of my new found "free-time".

So here's to fall! Warm soup, fresh bread, cozy sweaters, "retirement" . . . here I come!

Survivor: Jones Gap

We are alive. My back might argue with that statement, but regardless of how it feels right now . . . it is alive, too.

Greg and I had a fantastic time backpacking and camping through Jones Gap State Park in South Carolina, for our Labor Day weekend. We hiked through that park in 2005 (a few months before we were engaged) and noticed designated camping spots along the trail. We thought it would be fun to go back and camp there one day . . . so we did! Greg went backpacking with a few guys in the spring and really enjoyed it, so he started planning this trip for us soon after. This was my first time backpacking (though I've been camping - what Greg calls "car camping" - many times before and really enjoyed it) and I really didn't know what to expect. I had to deal with some fears before we left, but God was very kind to not have me walk through any of them in real life.

We started out Saturday morning and hiked about 5.5 miles that day. Jones Gap is a gorgeous park with rivers and streams running through it and several waterfalls. (It's a great place to day hike!!) Besides the 25-30 lbs. we were carrying on our backs, it was a fun hike. That evening we set up camp and cooked our freeze dried lasagna and had fun playing cards until dusk. I wasn't prepared for owls making more noises than the generic "Who-who" and it took me about 3 hours to fall asleep as I tried to figure out what was going on outside of the tent. I must have woken Greg up a dozen times to ask him if we were safe. I finally fell asleep as I quoted 2 Tim 1:7 (God has not given me a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and self control). That was a verse Mom would have me quote often when I was little and afraid of, well, everything.

The next morning Greg gave me the option of going home early because of the night before, he didn't want to put me in a situation that I wouldn't be comfortable or feel safe. We decided to finish out the trip as planned and for me to bring my iPod next time to drown out the noises =) It was great to have an opportunity to really have to trust Greg (and the Lord) that we were safe . . . I'm not stretched in that very often in suburban America.

Our campsite was in a perfect location in a grove of trees for shade and near a stream for water. One afternoon Greg went hunting for crawfish and caught 4 of them which he actually cooked up for part of his dinner!

We had a wonderful rest of the hike and saw many beautiful things. After the high temps we've had in Charlotte, seeing GREEN everywhere was such welcome change! And it was amazing to think of all the "necessities" that we did without all weekend. I'm looking forward to our next backpacking trip together that we're planning for the spring!