Friday Favorites|| St. Louis Edition

Yesterday I posted about my heartbreak in leaving our home here in CNY. Today we are taking a look at the bright side. Even thought there are so many things that the sentimental, not loving change side of me has to mourn with our impending move there are so many really, really great things about our move.

Let's do this in true Friday Favorites fashion.

1. Family in St. Louis: Josh's parents live in St. Louis which is awesome! This means that when Josh and I want to go out on a date night {which we rarely do since we prefer a movie and dinner at home} we will have more reliable sitters and will get more time to spend with them in general. Our time there will make it possible to get to know each other better {instead of a few weekly stays per year} and grow our relationships. We are really looking forward to that! Josh also has some extended family there... a great-aunt & uncle and cousins. Many of his distant cousins have children born within a few months of the girls {and they are our age too}. We can't wait to have playdates, cook outs and other fun family gatherings with them. Family is a good thing.

2. Friends in St. Louis: Josh's BFF lives in St. Louis too. Josh is over the moon that he will be reunited with the yin to his yang, the peanut butter to his jelly.... you get the point. They have a true bromance if I'ver ever seen one. We like to call Josh's BFF his St. Louis Peach... since I am, after all, his Georgia Peach. We are very excited to be close to him, his wife and their daughter {who is 6 months older than the Zabies}. We also have lots of friends who Josh has worked with at other locations and are now in St. Louis as well. Even some that I personally got close to while in CNY. I'm looking forward to frequent suppers together again.

3. Closer to other family members: We will be 8 hours closer to my parents than we currently are. You know what that means? This Mama can take trips to Georgia by herself with the Zabies, no problem! They can also visit us for short or long weekends. No more 16 hours trips {well one more, then no more!} If we are closer to Georgia that means we are closer to all my extended family and Josh's siblings too.  We will also be within driving distance to Josh's uncle and aunt in Minnesota {we are already hoping to plan a trip to see them too!} Indianapolis will be only 4 hours away and Cincinnati 5 hours(ish). All great news since we have family in Cincinnati and lots of friends in Indianapolis.


4. The weather: It's hotter than CNY which is a major bonus. I can't wait to sweat {as I am sitting here with  my fingers and toes feeling like ice cubes.} It still gets cold in the winter but not nearly as frigid as CNY. Better weather also means less cabin fever for the Zabies! Thank goodness!

5. Free kids activities: St. Louis has so many awesome things to do with kids that are free but heck even if I have to pay, who cares?! There is nothing {limited things} to do with kids during the winter months here in CNY. St. Louis has a free zoo, they have huge beautiful parks, Grant's Farm, a children's museum and so many other things that I don't know about yet but I am getting the scoop on from other moms of multiples... yep already reaching out to those ladies in the midwest.

Last but most important Bonus #6
6. Stay at Home Mom: Let's be honest, this is the best of all of these favorites. Josh's career affords me the luxury to stay at home with my babies and love on them the entire day! Me staying at home allows the girls be on their own schedule without forcing them to wake too early or go to bed too late.  They get one on one {or two on one} time with me daily where I can take the time to really explore their interests and use those interests as teaching opportunities. I love this life. Home is where my children are.

We are so excited to be closer and centrally located to all of our family, that is the big picture and such a blessing. We are so thankful for social media that will allow us to keep up with almost all of our friends here in CNY.

I am so incredibly proud of my guy for all of his great accomplishments. We are beyond blessed.

I'll leave you with this. As I was talking to crying to one of my nearest and dearest gals in Georgia about leaving everything and everyone behind here in CNY she said to me, "God doesn't always give us what we want, he gives us what we need." Amen to that sister! I have a whole post about those words of wisdom coming tomorrow.

A Little Bit of Everything, Momfessionals, and Grace and Love.

 September Farm and The Farmer's Wife