Life brought me to Greenville, South Carolina in 2009. It was the height of the Great Recession. I had finished my master's at UF. Alex and I had been dating for nearly 2 years. He was in SC. I was in FL. We needed to be closer: we knew this was "it." The Carolinas had always captured my imagination and my heart, since the days of vacationing in the mountains as a kid. I started my job search and after nearly a year of looking and interviewing and practically begging to work for little bits of nothin', I got a job at an advertising agency in Greenville.
I had never been to Greenville for anything other than my interviews. But I took a leap of faith, and headed north. I was lucky to have found a job at a great company in my field of study during such a hard economic time. But I didn't know then how lucky I was to have been led to Greenville.
My first job here, the one I moved here for, was fabulous for the first 15-ish months. But then I was switched to some challenging accounts (with even more challenging clients) and my workload became too much. I decided after 2.5 years in to move on. I found an even better job, one that I have enjoyed at some point during every single day that I've been there. My professional self truly got its start in Greenville: it planted roots, sprouted and blossomed. I have become confident in who I am as a professional.
My personal life has also changed so much in these not-even-4 years. After living in Greenville for 10 months, Alex proposed, downtown along the river. Nine months later, we got married, in our beautiful church in Greenville. We built our first home here. We moved in a started our life together. We have made lifelong friends in this city; some have moved away, others I feel sure will always be here, but Greenville is the common denominator.
It's tough to leave behind a place that has done so much for me in such a short period of time. I know Columbia will be a place to make many-a-memory. But Greenville will always have a very, very special place in this girl's heart.
Here are some of my favorite Greenville memories I'll take with me wherever I'll go:
 |
| Dec. 2009: my first week in Greenville - in Falls Park for the first time |
 |
| January 2010: Penny and I experiencing our first snow in Greenville - what a difference when you have to drive in it! |
 |
| May 2010: in my cube at my first job in Greenville |
 |
| October 2010: we are ENGAGED! |
 |
| January 2011: seeing our home under construction was so much fun! |
 |
| March 2011: we closed on our first home! |
 |
| May 2011: engagement pictures in Falls Park (same bridge as the top pic!) |
 |
| July 2011: our wedding day!! |
 |
| Nov. 2011: bringing little puppy Ellie home! (Penny looks terrified, ha!) |
 |
| Dec. 2011: decorating for and celebrating our first married Christmas |
 |
| July 2012: celebrating our first Anniversary downtown where we got engaged |
 |
| Dec. 2012: with some of my favorite Greenville girls |
 |
| January 2011: surprising Alex for his 30th birthday in our home |
 |
| July 2013: celebrating our 2nd Anniversary. Time flies when you're having fun! |
