We are starting a podcast! David and I (and sometimes the kids) talk about our family adventures, our day-to-day life, dreams, musings, failures and such. We hope that you feel as though you were/are sitting on our couch in our living room with us, having a conversation. As always, we appreciate you being with us and hope that you click the link below to have a listen! Thanks, Team Carter Family
https://open.spotify.com/show/0EoAjTHUgMbApBYAHArUbL?si=L5WQ8SsuQAG0R-wQWvEiKg
Where’s Rock Hill? The South Carolina side of Charlotte, NC. It is a charming small town, only thirty minutes from a booming metropolis.
We used to live here for a little over a year with family, when our first daughter was born. We were two weeks out of buying a house and settling down here. Then that deal fell through and we had to walk away. Turns out, God had other plans for us and told us to move to Charleston, SC. (For the third, yes third time).
Charleston was a good, growing season. We lived near family. Saw old friends. Made new friends. Probably the biggest transitions for us in this season was adding two more kids into our family and David started his career in real estate. That is a testimony to God of how someone with zero sales and marketing experience and zero real estate experience (but with the confidence that God told him to walk into it and with a determined attitude and work ethic). Out of hundreds of applicants, he was one of the few that got the job with Jeff Cook Real Estate. It was amazing to watch him (as his wife and cheerleader) to see him progress from zero to being a top producer in the company in three years. Three years. That’s favor from following what God told him to do!
We were thankful to have had that season in Charleston, but the last year and a half or so, we felt like transition was coming for our family. We could’t articulate the where or why because we couldn’t see it yet.
At first, a job opportunity with the same company opened up in the upstate of South Carolina. We really, really wanted to say “Yes!” We drove up there twice that year to drive around, pray and meet with friends who were already living up there. We had friends. We had a job opportunity waiting on us. We had a church picked out. We would be 45 minutes from the mountains and our beloved Clemson. And still we felt God saying, “No.”
So we didn’t.
Instead, we welcomed our son into the world. We did the newborn season again and were so sleep deprived and busy we couldn’t do much else. It was wonderfully hard. So we gave up the dream of living in Greenville. Just gave it up to God. At the same time, we also didn’t feel peace about putting down roots in Charleston. We were in this weird transition place.
Then David says to me one night, “That’s so weird that Greenville isn’t lining up! I don’t know what God is up to, but I want to go work for my friend (at JCRE) and get some experience from him, so that I can pitch it to the boss in a five or so years: “Hey man, I’ve got all of this managerial experience now. So can I open up a branch for you in Rock Hill?”
Fast forward a few months.
We are driving to Rock Hill for Thanksgiving 2018 and as we are pulling off of the interstate to go to David’s parent’s house, we get a phone call from Mr. Jeff Cook, himself. He says, “I’m thinking about opening up a branch in Rock Hill…and I want you to be the guy.” (something to that effect).
So he/we of course say “YES!” to that question. We didn’t have to really think about it. God blew up our plans and suddenly provided the answer. Suddenly, after three short years, David found himself in a management position. In the next few months he transferred offices to gain some experience as the assistant manager of a branch. While that was taking place, a family member in Rock Hill had an opportunity open up for us to rent their rental property. Of course, these things coincided with when Jeff was planning to launch the Rock Hill branch. This meant that we could all move together as a family.
It was such a suprise blessing to see all of the pieces quickly line up after we said “Yes!” to where our peace was. Point being: GOD WILL MAKE A WAY, even if there seems to be no way. Just keep seeking Him and He will deliver, in His time and you will be exactly where He wants you to be.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” -Jeremiah 29:11-12 NIV-
As an update, in Summer 2023, we are still growing and thriving in beautiful Rock Hill! How can we serve your family this year?
He is making all things NEW.
New is different. New is scary. New is embracing change. New is exciting. New is “We’ve never been here before.” New is “Will this work out?” New is daring. New will never be the same. New is moving forward.
Since our last blog post (in woah, 2018! whoops…) there has been a lot of new going on around here.
New seasons. New job (same job, different place, different position). David is now the general manager of Jeff Cook Real Estate Company’s branch in Rock Hill. I will have to write about how God orchestrated all of that HERE (stay tuned) because it’s an awesome story of provision!
Grady is now a toddler, running at full speed. Woah. I blinked and now the boy is 2! When people say, “the years go by so fast…” believe them, because it does.
In addition to a new job, new-ish town (things change so much in a short time-span of 5 years, but we are excited to be back in Rock Hill), new friendships and a new house! This house is so special and such a testimony to the Lord because it is the FIRST house we have ever bought. Ever. This house also fulfills a timely prophetic word that was given to us in May 2012, by Richard and Melanie Knight when they came to visit Charleston, South Carolina and it is spot-on what they told us so many years ago. Thank you for such encouragement back then Richard and Melanie! Here is the fruit of that word:
Then 2020 happened. That was all new. I don’t think I even have to cover what all has been going on there, but the Lord has given our family such PEACE. Peace over our home, relationship with neighbors, continuing friendships and for the first time in 20 years, ALL of David’s family is together again, all living in Rock Hill. For such a time as this.
So whatever your “NEW” is in this new, ever-changing, some would dare say crazy year we’ve had, step into it full-force! God will never leave you, or forsake you. He loves you, just where you are at. He sees you. He hears you. He’s not finished with you. He is faithful until the end!
” So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.” -Romans 8:28 (The Passion Translation)
And an added word of encouragement from Pastor Kris Vallottin: “and if it ain’t good, then He’s not finished with you yet!” (from a Bethel podcast sermon of the week).
We are rooting for you! Love, Team Carter
How can we help you buy or sell your home in South Carolina, or North Carolina? https://cartersellsthecarolinas.com
This fall we had Miriam’s first camping trip at Keowee-Toxaway State Park in Pickens. She loved the woods and hiking. Overall she did great (she got a little cold at night but slept the rest in Jen’s hammock with her). We were able to spend some time with our dear friends, the Haldemans. We would definitely go camping again with small children! A few things we learned: 1. it is probably better to sleep together in a tent for warmth (she didn’t like being confined in a sleeping bag). Next time, we will do an air-mattress in the tent together. 2. We are very glad we came over-prepared. Meals were already prepared and frozen so all we had to do was heat them (which equals more hands to wrangle Miriam). 3. Fires scare me with a toddler who is prone to trip over her own two feet. (they should invent a child-proof ring around the fire ring), but the pack-n-play did help… All in all, go camping as a group (more hands to help with kids) and bring tons of baby-wipes and they will be fine. We loved it!
We went to my parents church for their annual Trunk-or-Treat and we took home second place as the cast from “Bob’s Burgers”.
Miriam loves the pumpkin patch and trick-or-treating. She was a little confused we didn’t stay and go inside people’s houses but she got a good haul of candy. Her overall opinion of chocolate is “just ok. a bit overrated”, but she can down a lollipop no problem.
She has 10 teeth and at her last check up she weighed 21.5 lbs. When we went back later this month for her check-up she immediately started crying (she knew the shots were coming…poor kid). She now weighs 23.3 lbs and is average for all of her head circumference, weight and height. She is more and more independent everyday. She can run. She says “yes, bite, beads,hungry,dirty,baby,go-go (car), yogi (yogurt), eggies (eggs), Gogee (Goldfish), wa-wa (water) along with the others she knows. Altogether she probably knows about 50 words, and can say about 35-40. This week she likes to say “cars” and “stars.” We’ve been giving her more choices (ex. for her to pick out her own clothes or between snacks) She is definitely a girly girl with clothes and usually will pick out pink socks or a shirt with her beads and pink shoes. She really likes her yellow boots (which she affectionately calls, “butts”).
She weaned this month (which Jen says she has officially graduated from baby to toddler). We have no idea if she actually understands that there is “a baby in Mommy’s belly”, but we try. She will then point to her belly, or she will go grab one of her baby dolls. She is incredibly smart and very affectionate. She will hug friends goodbye and blow kisses to most people when we leave and if we arrive she will wave and say “hey!”. We have put up pictures of family and friends on the refrigerator and she can easily recognize people.
We absolutely love our growing girl! She really is growing up way too fast!
Team Carter is having a great summer so far. We moved back to Johns Island (our third time being here…but you know what they say…”third time is the charm”) and we feel settled into the house we are renting. We are enjoying getting to spend lots of time with Jen’s family and they love getting to see Miriam. The new grandparents are getting really good at spoiling their granddaughter with a wagon, a swing and a kiddie pool. What more could a 14 month old want?
Miriam has been recently walking more. Some of her favorite words are “no”,”uh-oh”, “Oh-Ah” (Miri for “Cousin Noah”) , “yeah”, “what”, “look” ,”that” , “mama”, “dada”, “oh”, and “wow”. She babbles a lot. If we say “Miriam, where’s your belly?” She can find it. And she will proceed to pull up your shirt to point out that you too have a belly button. She calls dogs “woo woo”. If we say “night night Miriam” she says “no night night”. She now has 7 teeth. She still loves reading books and musical toys (including an interactive purse she slings over one shoulder when we go out). She likes to make loud shouts with sounds and bend over to be upside-down. Nothing in the pantry doors is safe any longer. She’s the absolute best!
It’s been really cool to see in this new season how things really do just line up so well and fall into your hands when you (as Danny Silk puts it) “follow your favor.” We were able to acquire a rental on this beautiful island for what was in our budget (at a time when rentals are very hard to come by/so expensive). We are surrounded by a unique “neighborhood” of very diverse people, but we all get along. We had a potluck/welcome home party the first weekend we moved and even though our neighbors and friends were meeting for the first time, it was really nice! We actually had to kick guests out after a few hours so Miriam could sleep. Excited to see relationships form with our neighbors. Also we are blessed with really nice landlords (which is a tremendous help when you are renting) and they live behind us. Small world, our landlord’s wife and I (Jen) realized that we have met before during a brief overlap of work at a fast-food restaurant, so we had that humorous commonality of “this person looks so familiar….how do I know them?”
It’s also been a amazing to see the Lord furnish (yet again) another house for us. Before we moved, family was so generous to give us the essentials we needed to get started. Then my parents (unbeknownst to us) had kept all our wedding stuff (that was 5 years ago) and brought over 3 truckloads of stuff that we had forgotten about during our past five years of moving around/abroad! Then we needed a new jogging stroller for Miriam to get around our dirt road and grassy yard/neighborhood and the Lord highlited one for us at Once Upon a Child (it wasn’t there when we came in and at some point in the 30 min. we were shopping, when we left it was on sale outside the door. And it’s orange. And better than the old one we had that broke). We also needed a sleeper sofa for guests to stay over and we found one (almost new) for next to nothing at a second-hand store!
David has been receiving much favor at work, especially being a transfer. He has a normal schedule with more hours than he needs. Now he has off weekends which is what we prayed for! We are continuing to pay off our debt (which after “being a family” is why we are here). Sunday’s have really been a blessing for us too. We have been eating breakfast and doing life with our long-time friends, the Tetrevs. I suppose you could call it “house church” but we really just love encouraging one another and hanging out. Sometimes this looks like playing worship music or listening to a Bethel podcast and other times it looks like eating a meal and swimming in the creek. It’s a really sweet and simple time.
We are now “open” for guests at our house so please feel free to come and stay and rest on the beach when you visit us. We are 15 minutes from Kiawah beach and 30 min.from Folly. We have already hosted David’s parents and David’s sister and her family. You are next. Let’s make it happen!
The family kept meaning to do this, so this year we made it a reality…the Carter family photoshoot! Here are some of our favorites…
Special thanks to Derek Nash Photography for working with us in the freezing cold and for Hafid making a special trip from NY…we LOVE our family!
Team Carter's Big Adventure 