Learning the Ways of Floridian Life

Well, it's my second week of living in Tampa.

I love love LOVE it.

It's such a blessing to be finished with work and feel....uh...good about the day. It's such a blessing to be finished with work and look forward to the next day.

Maybe I'm in the "honeymoon"phase. But from what I can tell, the atmosphere of the home and the other people that have been around for years still love their job. So I see myself loving this job for years to come. Thank you, God, for this beautiful, wonderful, fantastic job. I couldn't have hoped for something this wonderful. I work for an amazing family, and with amazing people. I see your hands molding this job, and how you put this into place for me.

I think about my life without knowing these people and it seems wrong. I feel like this family, and these people were supposed to come into my life, or rather, I was supposed to enter theirs.

The only void? My husband. But, he'll be here soon enough. :) And before that I get to see places in America that I've never seen! So I feel like I am seeing the world this summer. I  am so looking forward to it! And the breaks I get this summer are very generous so I'll get to see him quite a bit. :)



I've been learning my way around this area in Tampa, too! I'm learning pretty quick, which is fun...but mostly I'm learning my way around it because I keep getting lost! Haha....


What else...I'm still pretty pale. Waiting for a time to go get a suntan! My legs are pretty scary to people here (not that they'd admit it), but oh man are they white! We go inside and outside quite a bit, but we are never outside for too long and if we are, I'm lathered up in 50spf sunscreen, which is probably a good thing :)

So, there's a Florida update. I'm loving it here. I was talking to my parents tonight on the phone, and my Dad asked me if I worked today...and I said, "nope! I even worked longer today than I was scheduled for!"...he commented on how happy I sounded. Let me tell you, months ago, I would have never sounded that happy after a long day at work. It's nice to see and feel the difference, the difference of enjoying your job vs. hating it.  :)

I'm still in the market for a church, so if y'all could keep that in your thoughts and prayers that would be great. Jay and I are hoping for a church we can get plugged into! It might be awhile since I won't be in Florida for the next two months or so (due to travel), but I know God has one out there for us!

Another New Beginning

All this week I've been working on packing my bags, and going to good-will, getting rid of things we really don't need for our big move to Florida.

Jay won't be moving for another 3 months or so, but I figured we might as well get a head start with some of the packing. That way he doesn't have to do it all by himself.

Pretty much all I brought with me on "my" move to Florida are my clothes and things that I use to get ready with. Since my living situation is worked out for now, I didn't need to worry about things like furniture, bedding, towels, dishes, kitchen things, and all that good stuff that comes with an apartment. I've got that all taken care of. When Jay moves down in 3 months or so, we will get all of our belongings down here for our new apartment. I even left some clothes and shoes I knew I wouldn't be wearing through the course of the next few months because I had a hard time fitting everything in my four bags :)

So here I sit, in my "apartment" for the next month or so (before the family and I go on the big vacay), listening to the sound of the rumbling thunder and raindrops hitting the roof. It's beautiful. And I feel peace, I feel at home, and I feel comfortable. Sure, I wish Jay could be here with me, but he will be here soon enough. And the cool thing is that during the big vacation I get 2 and a half weeks off (total, separated in to two breaks), where I will be flown to Minneapolis to be with Jay. So even though we are apart for a few months, we get good chunks of time together. I appreciate so much that this family who hardly knows me values my marriage with my husband. This family is full of good people, and I feel honored to work for them.

So I've had the day to run errands, and get unpacked (haven't unpacked yet, I've been so busy these past few weeks that I just kinda plopped down and haven't been productive since I got back from my errands). The family is out of town but will be back tomorrow, so I have till noon tomorrow as well, to get settled in and take it easy. I'm excited for their return, I have missed those two little boys! I heard that the oldest (3 years) was telling people about his new nanny, Meladie :)

Until today, it wasn't really hitting me, the magnitude of this life change. While I was out running errands (light groceries, dinner, and things I needed that I didn't bring from MN) I accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up driving towards St. Petersburg. I figured that out when I somehow ended up on Gandy Bridge (a bridge connecting Old Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg). After crossing the rather lengthy bridge, I was able to turn around and head back in the right direction. On my way back over the bridge I took a look at my surroundings (while completely paying attention to the road haha). I was in FLORIDA! To stay! It's beautiful! I got giddy with excitement and couldn't stop smiling. I just know that this is what God wants us to be doing. Florida is where we are to be, and where Jay will join me in just 3 months. I am so excited to see this adventure unfold! I can't believe that just over a month ago, I had NO idea that Florida would be in our future. Here I am, today, sitting in a future that I didn't know I would have. Jay and I figured we would end up in Florida, we just didn't know when. Funny how God throws things at you.

The past 2 years have been difficult. I'm not saying it will be easy from here. But I finally feel peace about where our life is heading. I feel excited, I feel good, I feel encouraged. Deciding to put teaching on hold (temporary or for good, I'm not sure but I know God has it under control!), was the best decision I could have made for our life right now. It was a difficult decision to make, but it put my heart at ease and I feel relieved. I can now see, looking back, how God orchestrated the last year and a half to make it so that when I saw this opportunity, I saw it as MY opportunity. :)

You never know what's coming your way! Sometimes it's a challenge, sometimes it's enlightening. You just have to take whatever comes your way and deal with it no matter what it is! God knows what he's doing. :)

I am Starkstruck.

I still find that I fall in love you more and more everyday. And just when I think I couldn't possibly love you any more, I do.

Jay Stark, you are the love of my life! God couldn't have brought a better man in my life for me than you. You're loving, selfless, caring, thoughtful, funny, quirky, gentle, wise. The list goes on and on. I'm excited to continue our story and our life together until our time on Earth ends. I'm so glad that I get to grow old with you.