It has been about two and a half weeks since we left Charleston and there is a lot to catch up on!
I wasn’t really sure what to expect, having only been away from my family during the holidays one other time, and our extended family and friends definitely showed up for us by welcoming us into their homes and lives.
I seem to have forgotten how big Dave’s family is! 😂 His dad has five brothers and one sister. It had been six years since we had seen some, and even longer for others, and it was as if we never skipped a beat. Which is the way one hopes it would be. What’s cool is that we’ll be able to see all of them throughout the course of this adventure!
We left Charleston on the 16th of December and made our way to Florida, a day earlier than we had originally planned, and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The day we left it started raining so much it ended causing flooding that was reportedly the “fourth-highest tide on record.” (New York Times) Everything happens for a reason we just may not always know what the reason is at the time.
Our first stop was The Villages to visit Dave’s dad’s oldest brother and his family. We didn’t know it beforehand but we ended up being able to see both of their kids and their families who were visiting for Christmas. Another blessing. We hadn’t spent more than five hours with this part of the family at a time, outside of family gatherings, and it was truly wonderful to have that quality time together.
From The Villages we made our way to Miami Beach on the 20th for a couple nights. I had never been to Miami before and I am so happy we decided to stay at the beach instead of downtown. A fact I only realized when we visited downtown briefly before we left, it is VERY busy with a lot of traffic! Granted that could have had something to with the fact that we went downtown so close to Christmas. 😘 Miami Beach is gorgeous in a way I never imagined. It is very walkable, the Art Deco style is incredible-especially on Ocean Drive, and the sand is buttery soft. It was nice to have a couple days just Dave and I in the middle of our time in Florida. We were able to eat good food, visit the South Beach Pier and I even made time for a massage.
On the 22nd we headed back up north to Hollywood where we stayed with two very good friends for the next few nights. They had moved there in 2019 and this was the first chance we had to visit. The sun continued to shine on us on the 23rd and it is was 75° so we took advantage of the weather and went to Lauderdale by the Sea. We ate outside at Aruba, walked the beach and saw several Portuguese man o’ war! Yikes!
That evening we went to Dave’s dad’s youngest brother’s house in Pompano to celebrate Christmas with his family, including his son, and Dave’s aunt, his dad’s sister, was able to join us there. We were very humbled by how loving and welcoming his whole family was to us. When I found myself missing my fam, I tried to remind myself to stay present in gratitude, because who knows when we will ever have an opportunity like this again?
From Florida we made our way up to Orange Beach, Alabama which is one of the barrier islands. My friend had recommended that area to us a while ago, and we had never been, so we thought we’d check it out. Several people have since mentioned that it is one of their favorite areas and now we understand why. We were in awe how beautiful the endless beach was there. We also ended up renting bikes and exploring the nature center before we made our way to The Wharf for dinner.
Another thing worth mentioning is how many amazing people we’ve met along the way! It seems everywhere we go there are friendly people willing to chat us up and offer recommendations. It has been truly wonderful.
In an effort to continue to follow the beautiful weather, we are now in New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA), until Saturday when we head to Houston to spend the week with Dave’s cousin before we continue on to Santa Fe, New Mexico to finish out the month. I’ve never been to New Mexico so I’m very much looking forward to that. We love NOLA! The food, the music, the architecture and the people just exude soul.
Dave went back to work today after a couple weeks off and I was happy to be out exploring. I had coffee and finished my book, The Vanishing Half, at Elysian Bar this morning and felt transported to France. Then I rented a bike and road to Stein’s Market and Deli for a breakfast and then road to the City Park and visited the Sculpture Garden.
I am reminded today that this adventure, much like life, ebbs and flows. And, that going with the flow is a lot easier than pushing against it. I am thankful for this opportunity and very fortunate to be living it. I miss my family and friends and I know they’re just a phone call away. I can’t take anything in my life for granted because it is the only one I get. I am grateful. I love you all and appreciate you so much for being on this journey with me and taking the time to read this blog. You make my life better and more full just being in it! Cheers to 2024 being the best yet! I believe every year, whatever it may bring- struggles and triumphs, loss and joy- is and will be better than the one before. “It’s called manifesting, Look it up.” @akprzy
😘❤️🎉
