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| Photography By: Jessica Shaffer |
It’s safe to say, I never envisioned my life going the way
it has. At age 20 I married my best friend, by 22 we had set up our nest egg,
and by 24 my husband and I were living our “dream life.” Granted we haven’t had
the blessing of children yet, but I have no complaints.
Fast forward, 26 years of age – and now living somewhere I
never thought I would call home. If you know me, I always envisioned getting my
degree in Broadcast Journalism, getting a great internship at a local news station,
and finalizing my dreams in sunny California giving my opinion in the style
segment of Good Morning San Francisco. But, life has a funny way of saying,
“This is your new life, run with it.”
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| Photography By: Jessica Shaffer |
Living in Raleigh, North Carolina has turned out to be a very
sweet and unexpected treat. The southern charm and hospitality has been
unchained. Everywhere I go I am eagerly surprised to find a new and promising
future. Specifically where Gary and I have made home - North Hills has proven
to be the perfect place to start navigating the rest of our lives. Other than
the obvious convenience of living in a town center apartment, I have found that
this has been the perfect platform for me to realize what I want to see in the
next ten years.
The move from the Washington D.C. suburbs to Raleigh has
made me realize the one intricate detail about who Gary and I are. We care and
desire quality time with each other.
Needless to say, quality time is hard to come by when you are traveling
an hour or more to and from work. When you do the math, you spend nearly two
hours a day in traffic, five times a week multiplied by four weeks of the
month, and 12 months of the year… a grand total of 480 hours a year sitting in
your car waiting to get home. And let’s not forget the days that there is an
accident, or maybe a holiday is around the corner and everyone decided to leave
his or her house at the same time. It adds up quickly.
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| Photography By: Jessica Shaffer |
These days Gary travels a total of thirty minutes a day
round-trip to and from work. He gets home relatively early at about 4:20, and
we have the opportunity to share how our days have gone, dinner is hot and
ready on the table by 6, and if we feel adventurous we try a new restaurant
out. There are bike trails, running paths, lakes, and outdoor activities at
every corner. We’ve already taken late night strolls in downtown Raleigh and
found many cute corner restaurants’, shops, and boutiques. Everything is
lending itself to a better and happier lifestyle.
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| Photography By: Jessica Shaffer |
