Team Smith turns 3 -- a year of hope

I can't believe it's already our anniversary! I remember in the first year celebrating being married 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and finally a year. We've had so much going on in the past couple of months that BOTH of us let this anniversary sneak up on us.

So as I sat here today thinking about what year 3 held for us I am humbled, amazed, and thankful. I would say year three was characterized by three words: waiting, trusting, and most of all HOPING. We both really struggle to hope -- I think because it's easier to not hope, then to be disappointed. But this year we did a whole lot of hoping and it's been beautiful!

This time last year we were surrounded by friends who would soon be spread across the country. We truthfully had just finished a year of great sorrow and simply wanted to hope. Hope for trust in each other and the Lord. Hope for better exercise. Hope for healthy children. Hope for graduation. Hope for a call to ministry. Hope for a loving community.

Shortly after we started hoping for this pregnancy and it was so hard to hope.

We hoped for graduation day and it was glorious.

We hoped for the relationship of our best friends.

...and we were the best man and matron of honor

We hoped for the 12 week visit that said your babe is healthy and you can celebrate with friends and family -- we hoped for redemption

We hoped as we lived in FL only having each other and applying/interviewing for job after job not knowing what our next step was.

We hoped as we visited friends and family that we would be encouraged and refueled after being by ourselves for a couple months

We hoped and prayed (2.5 years!!) for close friends to know the Lord and now they do! What a testimony to the fact that God is at work and is using little old us. 

We hoped as we found out we were having a little girl!

We hoped as we moved in with your parents and you took a job in construction -- we hoped for a call to ministry some day, but for now we hoped for faithfulness in the jobs we were provided with.

We hoped as Christmas came and went that our little one would decide to come.

We hoped during this entire labor and delivery that we would make it through with a healthy mom and babe.

We hoped for Zoe Carolina -- for life

We hoped for sleep, schedules, and assurance that this baby would survive as we fumbled through learning to be parents.

We hoped with great joy that we would raise this beautiful girl together.

We hoped for weight gain and she weighed in with more than we hoped for

We hoped for moments to cherish that we were given such a great gift

I hoped for a babe that looked exactly like you -- fulfilled ;)

We hoped as you entered into the process of applying and interviewing -- we had gone through so much rejection the year before so this hope was difficult. Regardless we hoped and trusted and you were called to your dream job, working for RUF this summer!!

And just last weekend we hoped as one of your best friends baptized our sweet Zoe. We hope for a little one who loves the Lord and who is shepherded by a faithful church who vowed to do so.

Cam, I could never have asked God for a better life than one shared with you. Who would of thought the simple 20 year old RUF student, who hoped for a chance with her intern, would get to live out her dream. I love you to the moon and back, and back again!

A whole lotta change

I'll try to do a quick update through pictures:

It's getting warmer -- FINALLY!! Family walks will be happening much more frequently and I can't wait to exercise again. (famous last words)

My best friend from high school drove down for the weekend to see us and Zoe. She spoiled her rotten by buying her an entire 6 month wardrobe. 

We traveled to Jefferson City, TN to interview for the RUF job at Carson Newman. This was the only picture I took -- it's Zoe laying on the floor of our car. Delicious dinner and John Stone entertainment with committee members and spouses, Church at Redeemer - Knoxville, dinner and a tour around Jefferson City with current campus minister and wife, dinner with a great couple from the church who live in Jefferson City, large group, and hanging out with students. We loved the students and we were excited about this prospect. 

We received a call and we accepted! We're so excited to be working for RUF and specifically at Carson Newman! Tennessee, Team Smith is coming for you! A funny fact about Knoxville -- When I was 9ish my family drove to Knoxville for Thanksgiving with friends of ours. Something about it felt magical to me and ever since I've always said Knoxville is my dream location. 

Our sweet girl was welcomed into the Covenant family. It was so special to us to have Soren baptize Zoe and such a refueling weekend spent with close friends. 

Emma helped me find a baptism gown the day before Zoe was baptized for 9$!! I'm so cheap

It was beautiful and I cried like a big baby!

And for my own memory: 

-Soren baptized Zoe

-Alex Watlington (another sweet friend) preached out of Leviticus

- We sang "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus" as Zoe was introduced to the church

- And for a funny memory: Zoe poop-sploded right before we walked up front