around here.

When I first moved down to Central Florida, I was thrown into a complete tailspin. Not only did I leave my family and friends, but I moved to a place where there were more cows than people per square mile. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating, but I can hear them from my backyard. To a Jersey girl, that's pretty freaking nuts. It's not to say that I have to travel 15 miles to get to the nearest store-- the nearest  WalMart is a mere 5 minutes away-- it was just the fact that I felt totally disconnected with life as I've grown up to know it.

The pace is different-- people don't drive 40 in a 25 (I found that out rather quick- got a speeding ticket in the first 3 weeks). People drive the speed limit? Yeah, people actually do. And if you don't, you'll be sorry because cops around here have noooothing else better to do than sit and wait. That was annoying at first but after a while, I came to appreciate it. Now I'm one of those people who get honked at when I sit at a green light too long rather than the other way around.

I also began to love the scenery. And the smells. There's nothing like the smell from the orange juice plant in the next town to wake you up. And the jasmine and orange blossoms. I'm telling you, Florida in late March to early April is a smorgasbord for the senses-- the warmth, the colorful Crape Myrtle trees in bloom, and the smells of life.

We also live in an awesome neighborhood with amazing neighbors. It's one of those places you remember from when you were young- when people who lived next to eachother TALKED to eachother. Actually, here the hospitality is so great that we're invited to just go into some neighbor's homes without even asking (which we don't, but the thought is nice).  

It's the perfect place to raise kids. I can picture our backyard with a swingset in the corner of the yard that gets good morning sun and afternoon shade. I picture our kids calling our neighbors "aunt" and "uncle". I picture them learning to ride their bike out front. I picture them running with the dogs outside and playing with the cats. 

Good things to come.