My childhood friend, Katie Mitchell, posted 10 Things she loves about her hometown and tagged anyone reading her blog to post about 10 Things they love about THEIR hometown. I personally like this "tag" because it focuses not on myself (which I know can get boring quickly) but instead, focuses on where I live and the oh-so-cool culture of my city! So, without further adu, let me introduce you to my home-town (Orange Park) as well as Northern Florida. I'd love to learn about YOUR hometown as well so after you read mine - TAG - you're it! :)

#1) I love Fleming Island! Talk about one-stop-shop! Everything I want or need is within walking distance (not that that means I necessarily walk anywhere). Not only is it a convenient place to live, but it's clean, wholesome and conservative....such a great place to raise a family!!!

#2) I love Christ's Church (my home congregation)! I respect our pastor, our music minister, our awesome volunteer team and of course our women's ministry! Chad and I have learned a LOT about servanthood since joining this group of believers and have no doubt that God brought us there for a reason!



#3) I love my new job as the Sharing Tree Preschool director! My job is in my church and I love, love, love where I work!!! The staff, children and parents are proving to be such a blessing to my life as well as my families lives!

#4) I LOVE my new friends!!! Chad and I made life-long friends while attending Harding University and were very doubtful that we'd ever make or sustain the same quality of friendships when we left Arkansas. But, God has brought in to our lives some of the most incredible, God fearing men and women.....I can say with complete honesty that I have some of the best friends in the world! The friends Chad and I've made through church, CBS, play-dates, etc have been a true God-send....all I can say is Jacksonville is jam-packed with AMAZING couples!

#5) I love the seafood in Northern Florida!!! If you're ever driving through Jax or St.Augustine, you really need to stop at Bonefish Grill, St.John's Seafood, Barnacle Bills or Saltwater Cowboys....any of those places will not dissapoint.

#6) I love Chad's family!!! We live within minutes of Chad's parents and sister, and within an hour of Chad's granny, aunts, uncles and cousins. He has a wonderful christian family who me and my children just adore!!

#7) I love living near the beach! Growing up in Arkansas and being raised practically on the lake, water skiing and camping any chance we got, I always hoped I would be able to raise my children near large bodies of water. Never in a million years would I have thought we'd move within 30 minutes of the Atlantic Ocean!!! I really count myself blessed that my children can run and play in the sand, jump the waves and learn to body surf at such a young age!! It's a dream come true!

#8) I love that Chad can live where all of his childhood memories are. It's so neat to drive around and hear him tell me stories of where he played baseball and football, where he and his friends went to the movies, etc...it makes me smile to know that he is happy we moved back to his hometown!

#9) Downtown Jax.....it's beautiful, jam-packed with culture and is right on the river....such a neat place to go on a date!!!

#10) Last but not least, I love Orange Park,FL because it's the kind of place that my friends and family WANT to visit! I mean, who wouldn't want to come to sunny Florida for a week?!?!?!....to quote my mom...."Lindsey, you guys look as if you live in a resort!" And that's the truth!!! Ain't life grand?!?! ;)