florida

by


my time in florida was absolutely delightful. i don't know if i mentioned it, but i was able to visit marlena in florida for a week and it was the greatest time. marlena and i have been the best of friends since college so you can imagine how excited i was to get a whole week with her. she lives so far away these days so i always look forward to getting visits or getting to make them. she and her husband shawn(we all went to college together) have been in florida for a couple years now and they like it a whole lot...as do i:)
anywho, they took me to this little place called the tiki hut on my first day there. it was right on the lake and it was just the neatest little place. they were not vegitarian friendly there but between the onion rings and french fries, it worked out:) the lovebugs were out and those are so fun! google those...really interesting. they look strange...like two flies stuck together. it was such a wonderful day. we ended it with yummy dinner and so you think you can dance:)

thursday was really great. shawn was at the studio...he is recording an album so it was a girl day. lena and i were able to meet up with this really neat gal for coffee/tea. jessi is her name and let me just say, she is one special person. i feel so privileged to know someone like her even if most of our relationship is from a distance:) our time together ways encouraging and i left feeling full. afterwards, we went to the prayer service at the church the attend and lena and i were able to sing together for the first time in years which was such a treat. the prayer time was wonderful. their church really believes in prayer and it is evident in the ways that our Father moves among the members.
friday was beach day and well, it was such an interesting day:) i have just a few photos from that day but lena took some fun ones so i will be sure to post them when she sends them my way. the weather is so funny there. you can expect rain during certain times of the day. it comes and goes like clockwork so you mostly know when to be indoors... well, friday was the exception to that rule:) we got there, unpacked, and within minutes, the rain started to come down...it wasn't just drizzle, it was as if someone was holding a hose over our heads....you know, just t be mean:) once we realized it wasn't going well, we decided to go for frozen yogurt and a new location. we found the frozen yogurt(dark chocolate and reese's pieces:) and it was so yummy but while we were enjoying it, an almost hurricane decided to show up! it was so rainy and windy and well, i have not ever seen anything like it really. after it passed we walked out on the beach and after about 15 minutes of sun...notice the looks on our faces in the below photo due to sun in eye syndrome(my hair was a DISASTER), the rain came pouring down again. we grabbed towels and umbrellas and sat through it the first round but once the second round came it was time to run...and we did, all the way to the cars...everyone and everything soaking wet. it was such a fun time:) i told sweet amanda that i don't think i will be forgetting it for a long time and that will most certainly be the case:)

saturday was so much fun. jessi, beth, ben, lena, and i went to a neat little outdoor market. it was so enjoyable...especially the crepes and the citrus tea:) we walked around for a bit. jessi and marlena bought coffee...i didn't. it was just a really nice time of fellowship.
after the market, we walked over to the morse museum of american art. the glass was a delight but the thing i enjoyed the most was the tiffany chapel. it was amazingly beautiful. on our way out, we got trapped in the rain once again. we made it home in one piece.
once we were back at the house, we got ready for game night. a few people came over and we played two VERY fantastic games. i was introduced to the game dutch blitz and the american version of rummikub. dutch blitz, i am going to order one. rummikub, i like the american version but the romanian is just better:)
sunday was an early day. since shawn and marlena do music, we went to all three services but it worked out splendidly. we were able to go into the nature preserve next to the church in between the services and it was super! in all honesty, marlena and i freaked out a number of times...due to bugs and things of that nature:) we ran and even screamed a bit but it was so much fun:) the best part of that whole experience was seeing a baby alligator! really! it was this tiny thing hiding out in the swamp. i have never seen one and neither has marlena in the two years she has lived in florida so it was kinda awesome:)
so, all that to say....it was a very eventful and delightful trip. even with all that said, i feel like it really does not do my trip justice. i had such a wonderful time and feel so refreshed on so many different levels and i am just so grateful. i am so blessed.