The Time Has Come

The time has come to say good bye.

We are leaving here in less than 5 days. The house is filled with boxes and the pictures are off the walls. We were able to spend one more beautiful day at the beach. The boys are going to spend one last day with friends. Things here are coming to an end.

It was a good chapter to write. There were many joys and triumphs, there were celebrations and parties that we joined in. There was also heart ache and tears, and days that getting out of bed was to hard.

Being in Florida will be a part of my life that I will look back and remember fondly.

I am excited for our new life. I am ready for it, and feel like it comes at a good time for me. I feel like all the things that I have learned here in Florida has prepared me for what is to come. There will be new highs and lows and I will be ready for it and embrace it all.

The next time I post it will be from North Carolina, it will be from a new time in my life, and it will be from the new adventure that I am having.

Tim Says

Tim: "Mom, do I have to kiss my wife?"

Me: "Well... I think she might want you too"

Tim: "I'll just buy her a Slurpee instead"

{I think for his wedding I'll bring in a Slurpee machine}

A Bitter Sweet Ending

We are coming to the end of our time here in Florida. I knew it was coming, this was never meant to be a permanent place, I knew we were leaving and even looking forward to it, but now that it is here I am truly sad that the time has come.

When we rolled into Florida in mid-August it was hot and muggy. I probably would have had a better attitude toward living in here had we not arrived in the hottest part of the year. Really, I was miserable and hot. I am still not a fan of the Florida summers {between the heat and the hurricane season....} but the winters are pretty mild, and a great time to be outside. I have learned to love each season for what it is, and with the changing of the weather {however slight} comes something to look forward too}

The first year that we were here was a hard one for me. I had met a couple people, but didn't have any close friends. There wasn't anyone that I could talk to, or plan things with. I was homeschooling the boys for the first time and not having any outside friends for them made it really hard.

Looking back, I really needed that year of feeling alone. I learned so much about homeschooling the boys, I learned so much about myself. I really needed that time for me. I feel like I grew so much and am much more confident in the person that I am today because of it. I learned to rely on my Heavenly Father, and He taught me so many things.

The boys grew so much while we were here. They were all so young, closer to babies, when we got here. Now with James being closer to becoming a young man it makes me sad that the time went so fast. I have so many good memories of our time here with them, but I know that some wonderful days have passed and they have been forgotten.

I have many friends now, and leaving them is breaking my heart. I have really met some incredible women. I will miss them so much. And the beach.... I will miss the waves and the sand and the freedom of being in the water gives

I know that it is time for us to go. And I am so excited about the new adventures that we will have in North Carolina, but I will miss my time here.