01 September 2012

Officially Floridians

Sometimes I think all of my perfectly laid-out plans get smooshed to bits just so God can once again show me who's really in charge.

It's a lesson I obviously need to keep learning. 

I last left our story with the news that we were moving to Florida. In between then and now has been a mad rush to get to said destination. 

First, M left a couple weeks before I did due to his job. 

I got to deal with the movers and finish packing up the apartment.


Yay me. 

I ended up leaving Hattiesburg on the morning of August 15. I am one of those annoyingly happy morning people, more content to see the sunrise than the sunset. 


See? It's just so pretty, and my last goodbye to Mississippi. 

I drove for 12 hours with a vehicle packed so full I couldn't see out my mirrors, lots of coffee and the pups who claimed their seats for the entire ride.

Both. In the front. For 12 hours.

I deserve a medal for that or something. 


Here's where it gets fun. 

We were supposed to close on our house on the 15th. Then the 16th. Then the 18th. Then....

You get the picture. 

One week later, our dogs are still boarded at a doggy daycare, the movers were throwing a fit to get our furniture off their truck and we were living in a retirement community like Lucy and Ricky. Ozzie and Harriet. 

Twin beds and all. 


The house in the retirement community - although awkward and hilarious all at the same time - was a blessing from one of Matt's co-workers who let us use it because the owner is a snowbird who won't be down until this winter and the house was just sitting empty.

I still felt like I was invading Senior Land...I felt like we would get strange looks from the neighbors like, "You're too young!! Get out!!"

I wanted to say to them, "But you don't understand!! I'm in bed at 8:30 along with the rest of you!! You'll love me!! I promise!!"

As for the movers, we didn't want to pay a gazillion dollars a day for them to store our furniture, so we found a storage place that you could rent for $1 for the first month. We were just praying we wouldn't need it longer than that.


The movers weren't too happy with my multiple rubbermaid tubs packed full of books. 

Tough. I like to read and we paid you for your muscles.

We ended up finally closing on the house last Friday. Finally. 

We are in love with this place. 


It's a little surreal to stop and think we own real estate in Florida. I mean, for real. I have palm trees in my front yard. 

We live roughly five minutes from this:


Not the best beach picture, I know. And honestly, we haven't even been to the beach to hang out yet. We've been busy unpacking, starting jobs, finding out where the grocery store is located, getting our FL plates and tags...all the fun stuff that comes from moving to a new state.

And I'm ok with that...this Midwestern Girl is more of a pool person anyway. You all know how I feel about things in the water that can eat your legs. Ugh.

So when you all come visit, you'll walk through our front door....


Into the living/dining area (which will be bare for awhile...moving from a two bed apartment to a four bed house gives us more space than we know what to do with. But if anyone wants to throw some Lowe's or Bed, Bath and Beyond gift cards at us, we're fine with that too.)


Into the family room and kitchen.

Where, yes, The Office is always on in the background.

I. love. my. kitchen. 


We obviously need curtains and rugs.

Which brings me to a question I hope someone can answer.

Why, why are rugs so freaking expensive?


Suka has volunteered to serve as one for now. But be warned...this rug will lick your toes as you walk by.

I have all my books unpacked, and have discovered I have room for more. MORE!! MORE!!! 

If you think reading is boring, you're doing it wrong. 

The dogs really like our screened in porch...and I'm happy our backyard backs up to a preserve. It's so pretty and green and no one will ever build behind us. 


Florida isn't all fun and games and Disney and coconuts though, as we quickly discovered. Florida has things like hurricanes and tropical storms. And tornadoes. 

Growing up in Missouri has made me petrified of tornadoes. 

So of course, guess what happens three days after we move in? Thanks, Issac. 


So the dogs and I hung out in the bathroom for awhile. Alone. Since M was at school hunkered in the hallway with his students. 


And you all know me and tornadoes and alone. 

Luckily we didn't have any damage, and our part of Vero only had a little flooding. M was still out of school the next day because several schools had flooded...he's used to getting out for snow days, not tropical storm days. 

He was just hoping the golf courses didn't get too wet. 

You know. Priorities. 

My other question is this: if that was just a little ol' tropical storm, what the crap will an actual hurricane be like? 

Holy. Cow. 

Welcome to Florida. 

Today I love: Shopping for new house things and not being scared of our gas appliances anymore.

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