Farewell, home in Texas!

We bought you nine years ago because our then-seven-year-old daughter wanted a house that looked like a castle.

Soon we learned that everything is bigger in Texas…especially the utility bills!

We are leaving you during the only pretty month in Texas — May — when everything is still green and the thermometer hasn’t quite reached 100 degrees. So while I feel a lump in my throat on this day, I know that by July, the grass will start turning brown from the heat and the water restrictions. Speaking of restrictions, we aren’t going to miss those. Nor will we miss the 112 degree days or the hail and tornadoes. Especially the hail.

Last week I made a trip down to the new house in Florida with my mom. I wanted to share our new space with her, so she could envision where I am when I make my frequent phone calls.

Hello, home in Florida!

Now you can envision it, too! At this house we won’t have watering restrictions. The city uses reclaimed water for sprinkler systems. We won’t get a notice and a fine on our door for watering outside our watering day.

We are moving from a cookie cutter neighborhood, where every house is “just-so” and is built by the same three or four builders, to this one, where power lines and palm trees line the road that runs beside the river. Some houses were built 100 years ago and others were built just last year. Our house is pink, the house across the street is bright blue, and our door is turquoise.  Because…Florida!

I’m going to miss the dwarf magnolia trees planted by our pool in Texas. When I wondered if they’d grow in Florida, my husband grinned at me. “Everything grows in Florida!” he said. Like these flowers. Flowers make me happy.

Pineapples make me happy, too, especially when they are growing outside my back door! In addition to pineapples, we have banana trees, a bee hive, lime trees, a loquat tree, gardenias, jasmine, and more!

Did I mention flowers make me happy?

This is the view of the river and the bridge from the upstairs balcony. The bridge goes out to the beaches. Water views make me happy, too!

So while my heart feels saddened at closing a door on this ten-year-chapter of our lives, it also feels excited to see what else is in store. Like this:

Ahh…..the Land of No Shoes Awaits!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. -Psalm 118:24

May we rejoice and find beauty and people to love on no matter where we live!