A Very Happy Announcement

"Try to remember that when you find yourself at a new beginning...

Just give hope a chance to float up. And it will..."

-Hope Floats

Hello my dear friends, 

I hope all is well with you!

It's been a while, and I appreciate your patience while I've had to take some personal time away.  The last few months threw some pretty large and unexpected curve balls our way.  Through the challenges, I can honestly say we have come out stronger and happier than we could have ever imagined.  I am truly grateful for all the blessings that have been sent our way.

Onto the big announcement.........

Matt and I are moving HOME to NEW ORLEANS!

New Home, New Job, New Year ahead!

We are so excited for the possibilities that 2011 holds for us,

in the city that we adore, surrounded by family and friends, 

in the place where we fell in love and where our newlywed adventures began.

A few nights after Matt and I met, we spent a lovely evening at Pat O'Briens in the French Quarter with some of his friends.  Later on our way back to his car, we passed a jazz bar with large open windows that had loud music playing inside.  Matt grabbed my hand and twirled me around on the street, and we started dancing right there on the sidewalk. 

Little did we know the friends we left with passed by across the way and spotted us. 

They told us later it was that moment that they were convinced that we were meant to be together.

I have learned a lot about faith in the last five years of marriage. 

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans three weeks before our wedding, we believed there was still strong hope for new beginnings.  Coming home from our honeymoon to a devastated city, with a FEMA roof overhead, and MRE's on our doorstep, we believed the honeymoon wasn't really over.   Making the hard decision to leave a year later to pursue better career opportunities far away, only meant more new, exciting adventures were ahead. 

Our faith, patience, and trust through the magical times, and especially all the challenging times, has shaped us as a couple to who we are today.   And we are sublimely happy, grateful, and eager to embrace the next chapter in our lives.

We're moving home to New Orleans.  In two weeks.  Just in time for Christmas.  And we truly can't wait.

***

Special thanks to our family and friends, and of course, a very heartfelt thanks to you all for your love and support.  Much love to my New Orleans gals Jen and Melanie for the get togethers in the Big Easy last week.  Last but not least, all my love and thanks to my sweet Matt - the best is yet to come!

I'll be back in a couple weeks from down South, y'all!

Lots of love always,

Trishy

xoxo

Images via Jose Villa in NewOrleans

"Christmas in New Orleans"