It was a long drive. Roughly 3,000 miles. What matters most is it was an uneventful drive. Sure, we had to deal with some ridiculous sibling bickering and tattling from the littlest two in the back seat (why I decided to sit them together, I have no idea) but it wouldn't be a family road trip without it. We all drove from the Pacific Northwest to South Florida TOGETHER without incident. Hallelujah!
We arrived at our new home on Tuesday, a day earlier than expected. Since then, I've lost count of the wow's and the big smiles of joys over new and exciting things. The big kids are thrilled that they can walk down to the drug store to buy candy by themselves. The little ones are excited that there are about 1 billion lizards to catch. They are all excited about the beautiful beach that's just a short, beautiful drive away. John and I are loving the people and the small-town friendliness. What a wonderful place to call home.
There are moments of homesickness for Idaho, and I'm sure those moments will continue for years. We loved living there and we miss our friends. We are all so far away from family that it's a little overwhelming at times. The beautiful thing about this place is there is such great opportunity to reflect. There is peace. Nature abounds with its soothing sounds, smells, and pace. I cannot think of anywhere better to be sad and miss the past, whether it's friends in Idaho or a life far away in Ethiopia.
Last night after dinner we all walked down to the beach about a mile down the road. The day had cooled into a relaxing evening, making it a perfect opportunity to enjoy family time in a quiet and calm manner (as opposed to the boogie boarding craziness in the surf). We found coconuts and looked at the new and strange tropical plants. We found funny little crabs that live along the road under the trees. We walked across the draw bridge on the intercoastal waterway and dreamed of navigating a sailboat through the beautiful waters. We found vines hanging from trees to swing on. At the beach, we sat at the edge of the grass and watched the gentle waves as the sun set behind us. A man was playing music on his guitar, lending a pleasant soundtrack to a beautiful night. When we walked home the lightening bugs came out, adding even more perfection to a wonderful evening together. I hope we never take any of this for granted. I hope my kids always see the simple things as magical.
Time to start another day of unpacking and making this our home.
No comments:
Post a Comment