I went back today and read one of my very first posts, “A New Lease on Life”. So many things have changed in my life over the past month that I have allowed myself to become somewhat overwhelmed and even a little bit afraid. Let me explain…

Upon returning home from spring break in Destin, Florida, my fifteen year old daughter Haley announced that she wanted to move to Destin. It has been my secret desire to make the move, however I was committed to staying in the north Georgia mountains for two more years until she graduated high school. But now, my plans have changed.

As I write this post, I am in Destin, mentally digesting all that has happened in just one day. I began Friday morning with an interview for a teaching position at Choctawhatchee High School. It went very well and I am hopeful that I will be offered a position. From there, I picked up Haley and we visited the Niceville High School for a tour. This is the school Haley will be attending next school year. Her current high school enrolls about 750 students. Niceville enrolls almost 2,000! Haley was a little intimidated but I believe she is exited about the vast opportunities that this school offers. She is talking about joining soccer, tennis, softball and weightlifting.

Next stop was the bank. I opened accounts for all of us, now we just need some money! We also got a cashier’s check for a deposit on the townhouse we will be living in. Which was our next stop; our new home. We have rented a large three bedroom townhouse in a beautiful subdivision of Bluewater Bay.

One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is my new summer job as a Field Archaeologist. I will be digging holes in the woods of Eglin Airforce Base looking for artifacts and watching out for snakes! My glamorous ideas of archaeology have quickly been squelched by the reality of walking through the forest carrying a machete and going to the bathroom in the bushes!

Quoting my old post, “We must travel through life with open minds, soaking up all that is around us and allow ourselves to live the life that is before us with excitement and expectation.”

The Emerald Coast White Quartz Beach Challenge

Have you ever been to the beautiful white beaches on the Emerald Coast? Destin, Florida has the most gorgeous waters and sand I have ever seen. You can walk quite a long way out and still see the shimmering sand beneath your feet. And the water……sparkling green! I don’t think it can be beat!  Read the following post by WordRogue.  He sums it up quite nicely.

“It has come to my attention that there are a couple places in the world claiming to have sand that is whiter than our beaches here on the Emerald Coast. I take issue with that, and would like to settle the matter. Since I’ve only had 350 readers of my blog so far, and as far as I can tell not one of those readers lives anywhere near the offending beaches, we’ll just talk about them behind their backs until they catch on and decide to argue with us.”

Read more about the Emerald Coast White Quartz Beach Challenge

I am looking out of the window of my office right now and I see big fluffy flakes of snow falling from the sky…lots of them! It is a beautiful sight as long as I am inside looking out. However, this beach-loving girl gets the shivers at the thought of walking outside to my car.

I lived in northern Michigan for seventeen years. In Cadillac, the winters are very long and the summers are way too short. Living there while in high school was okay because I was involved in downhill skiing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and ice fishing. But as I grew older, the snow just wasn’t quite as fun.

When my children were young it was a chore to dress them in their winter suits so they could play outside. The poor kids were so bundled up they could hardly walk. When they fell over, they couldn’t get up by themselves. They looked like little penguins waddling around in the yard.

I can remember the day I decided I was leaving Michigan for good. It had reached below zero several nights in a row and the night before my decision, we had freezing rain. I woke up early and headed out to my car to go to work. I was bundled up in all the gear, had my purse in one hand and an apple for snack in the other. I slipped on a patch of ice on the sidewalk and my feet flew from under me. I dropped my purse and I could see my apple soaring through the air as I hit the ground on my back. I stood up furious and shouted out loud, “I am moving to Florida!!!” And, that is exactly what I did.

I lived in Florida about eight years and it was wonderful. I lived on gorgeous, Amelia Island and it did get cold for a few days in the winter, but I could handle it after all I went through in Michigan. My days were spent in the glorious sunshine with the roar of the ocean in my ears.

When I moved to north Georgia, never did I think I would have to suffer through snow again. I know, we only get about two inches at most, but temperatures still fall into the low teens and the wind chills your bones. Being cold is really one of the only things that makes me really mad, immediately.  I would rather be hot and sweaty any day.

So, I am planning to move back to Florida one of these days. Destin, Florida’s Emerald Coast is where I will go. Lying on the White sandy beaches and swimming in the beautiful blue water is how I picture the rest of my life. Walking along the shore watching the pelicans dive and the dolphins play sounds like paradise to me.