“Hi, I’m Kristin, and I’m new here. “There are few things I dislike more than being unknown, not having my people around, being alone. And I really haven’t had to do it much. Unlike a good friend of mine whose dad was in the military and thus moved all over, I’ve lived in the same house for my entire life. (Okay, I might’ve lived at our old house for the first week of my life before moving into the current one.)

Long story short: It’s been a long time since I’ve been the new girl. And it’s not my favorite thing. I got a taste of it two summers ago when I lived abroad in Toulouse, France. And it was tough, but I’m so much stronger for it.

This summer I moved to Dallas, Texas, for an internship that I’m stoked about. But even with the most exciting of adventures, change is, well, an adjustment. I moved hundreds of miles away from my family and friends to a city I’d never even been to before.

I love exploring and organizing my room and watching nature documentaries and just catching up on me time. But there’s nothing like grabbing coffee or inviting friends over for a meal, and in a new city, that’s harder to do.

In the short time I’ve been here, I’ve been overwhelmed with the warm welcome I’ve received — southern hospitality you could call it. Some empty nesters have adopted me as their own, my brother’s friends invited me over for a brunch, a college friend happens to be from the area. It’s what I’d call a best case scenario.

Being the new girl isn’t fun.

Being the new girl isn’t easy.

Being the new girl is awkward.

Being the new girl is uncomfortable.

But being the new girl is teaching me humility (something I need and my family will tell you that) and grace. Putting yourself out there is daunting, but unfortunately, it’s really the only way to get plugged in and find a new home. I’m quick to beat myself up for not introducing myself or not reaching out to that friend of a friend that another friend gave me her number. Whew!

Oh, and also patience aka my favorite thing. I’ve been to this church twice, so where is my new bff at? It’s the third day of work — I don’t need a GPS, right? Things take time, relationships take time. And Kristin will always need a navigation system at hand. Some things never change.

The unknown gives me the creeps. Okay, confession: way more than the creeps. I hate not being in control, but it’s times like these that I remind myself there is purpose in the “uncomfy.” I know that this is exactly where I’m supposed to be and although not with difficulty and struggle, that good plans await.