A year in Florida

August 1 marked our first year in Florida. As Emerson says a lot these days: "Oh gosh!" (read: oh garsh!)

While a part of me welcomed the adventure of moving to a place as random as Florida, it has been no secret that I have struggled this past year to make Florida feel like home, or even a place that could one day feel like home.

I appreciate Florida a lot more now than I did a year ago. Having a wonderful home, albeit still largely unfurnished, helps a lot, especially since with the two little ones there are many days we don't even make it out of the house. But we swim in the pool, play tee ball in the yard, run laps around the house and play with water on the patio so we don't feel too cooped up. This is all Florida goodness.

While it is a lot better, there are still ways that life in Florida is not totally figured out. My professional identity is kind of homeless here and while I have moments of confidence that a fulfilling career is still within reach (without always traveling to work), I also spend more time than I would like to admit trying to remember that thing I was just going to tell you. It was really interesting. Just give me a minute.

And I am still waiting to make my first real friend here. Not for lack of trying. It seems I am too weird for some and not weird enough for others. But these things take time. More than a year, apparently.

I don't hate Florida. But I don't love it (yet?).

Let's give it another year.