florida

Had the opportunity to take a semi-last minute trip to Florida for the weekend.  It was great.  We talked about going a few weeks ago during Snowpocalypse 2011 and then didn’t really talk more about it.  In fact, we didn’t talk more about it at all.  Then a little over a week ago she sent me a message saying she bought the tickets—great surprise!  (And I was really glad I could still go…)  Anyways, it was a quick trip and it was great.  There was no doubt in my mind that this weekend was going to be great, but I think it was even more special because it was a bit spontaneous and definitely unexpected.  Who goes to FL for the weekend?  We do.  We did.  We arrived Friday afternoon (after an interesting plane ride with our friend Travis, haha.  Travis was sitting next to us, the flight attendant, male, offered him a beverage by name.  They had never met and the whole thing was just a little awkward but it became the joke for the rest of the plane ride) and drove from the airport to the condo in Longboat Key.  Her mom gave us a quick tour of the condo and of the complex—the “run-down” for when we come back for spring break in THREE WEEKS!!  Woohoo!  So basically we accomplished everything we had to do in the first ten minutes we were there…Then we went to dinner.  Saw a gorgeous sunset on the way and was just in awe of the Lord’s beautiful creation.  Saturday morning we went to the farmers market in Sarasota, had breakfast there, and walked around the art show.  Then we laid out by the pool for a few good hours.  A few great hours!  It was so relaxing and just beautiful.  The perfect day.  Warm but not hot.  Absolutely no clouds.  Seriously, not one.  It was amazing.  Quintessential Florida.  Then Sarah and I went for our hour run, we’re both training for the Mini.  We didn’t die so that was good.  And we took some pictures of the sunset, which again, was absolutely beautiful.  Sunsets are seriously such a gift from God.  They will never get old; that would be impossible.  This morning Sar and I walked the beach before we flew home.  Trying to soak it in before we headed back to reality.

It’s weekends like this where I have to remind myself that this is real life I’m living.  I never would have imagined myself doing this.  And not because I wouldn’t have wanted to go to Florida, but because pharmacy school would have never allowed me the flexibility to go.  And no, I didn’t switch majors just so I could jet-set to Florida whenever I feel like it.  I guess it’s just weekends like this that remind me of the opportunities I have and that life is worth living and that moments are waiting to be seized.  I have people who love me well and people to share life with.  An adventure is waiting and sometimes it seems unrealistic, but sometimes you just have to go for it.  I am grateful for this weekend.  I am grateful for the time spent with a good friend.  I am grateful for finding out that a beautiful woman of God is CANCER FREE!  I am grateful for the perspective it gave me and for the processing I have yet to do.