In June 2005, less than two weeks after my high school
graduation, my family made a big move from Maryland to Florida. I can’t believe
that so much time has gone by already! The decision to move was made just weeks before I
began my senior year of high school, and so I shifted my impending college search and application process to the
southeast to consider universities I had hardly ever heard of. I still applied
to my dream school, the University of Maryland, but ultimately decided to
attend the University of Florida, because it seemed to be my Maryland in the
Sunshine State. It was imperative to me that I be close to my family, because
at the time, my brother was only 7 years old and I didn’t want to be that older
sister who leaves home, moves away, and doesn’t even know her siblings.
I am only realizing now, nine years later, how smart I was at
the time, to make the decision to stay close to home. I had the tremendous privilege to be a Gator (and who in their right mind doesn't want that?!?!), and for five years I was two
and a half hours from my family. I then worked for three years in a town
only seventy miles away from my parents’ house. I lived so close that I did my
laundry there, because I didn’t have a washer and dryer in the place I rented.
I was able to be home for birthdays and holidays and long weekends. I could
even drive home in the middle of the week if I had to.
1,500 miles makes a big difference. I haven’t been back to
Florida since the day Drew and I left to move to Texas. I haven’t hugged my
parents since August. I have missed weddings of close friends. A year of family
birthdays and holidays has gone by. The beach is so far away! Most recently, I
was unable to watch my baby sister walk across the stage at her own high school
graduation. We are blessed to be able to use Face Time to “see” each other and
phone conversations and Facebook keep us all updated on daily goings-on, but it
has been a new and difficult sensation to feel like I am missing out from all
the way over here. I love life here in Texas, but sometimes I feel so isolated
from my family and friends.
I was really blessed earlier this week when my sister called
and asked, “What are you doing this weekend? Can we come visit?” Drew and I
visited her and her husband for Thanksgiving, which feels like forever ago, so
our immediate response was, “YESPLEASECOMERIGHTNOW!” It was a short reunion,
but very wonderful and full of laughs. It made our new house feel more like
home to have some family here. :)
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| Group selfie at the park. Miracle of miracles, it only took one try. |
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| That ant was probably one inch long. But we think he had a broken leg. :( |
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| Sometimes weeds are the prettiest flowers. |
