I've wanted to live in the south ever since I was in high school and played in a softball tournament in Valdosta, Georgia. I am a warm weather person. I grew up in the midwest so I was used to cold but the older I got, the less I enjoyed the October-May time of year. I was so depressed most of my life, especially during those long winter months of bitter cold and snow. When summer time came, and temps were in the 80's and the sun shone all day, I always felt so much happier. But than fall and the rain came, then the cold and snow and I longed for a time where I could feel this summer-time happiness all year.
In 2000, circumstances occured that allowed my son and I to make a move...a fresh start and we packed all we could fit into my car (with a car top carrier) after shoe-horning ourselves, our two labrador retrievers and two cats in first, and hit the road. What an adventure that road trip was, but when we arrived here after traveling for three days, I felt like I was finally home...like I was where I belonged. In this beautiful state of perpetual sunshine, palm trees, ocean breezes, I finally came alive, felt a happiness I had never known in my life.
Things have not been all sweetness and light since I've been here. My son and I grew apart. He moved back where we came from the day of graduation and never looked back. My middle child, my sweet Benjamin, died at birth. I almost lost my precious daughter in the middle of my pregnancy and had to be on bedrest for 16 long weeks before she arrived safely. My marriage has been a struggle, with more ups and downs than I ever thought imaginable. The same for my weight.
Despite all this, I am so grateful that I got a chance to live in paradise. We briefly moved out-of-state in 2006 but came back because we all missed the sunshine and the ocean. I love living in shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops almost year round. It's October, and it was 91° today and we went swimming 2x...not something we could ever dream of doing in either my home state or my husband's.
Yes, we are looking forward to a bit cooler temps and less humidity. Yes, I do miss my family and wish we could see my mom and my siblings and their kids more than once every couple of years. Yes, I wish I was closer to New York and could see my son more often. But I don't ever plan on living anywhere else but My Slice of Heaven!
