It's hard to say Goodbye!

It's seems apropos that as we are packing up our lives and preparing to move back West that I should choose to resurrect this blog. 

After all, that's how it began 7 years ago when we moved to FL from the West.  It's been severely neglected over the past few years as other things in life have taken on more meaning, but this blog is still a special space.  Sort of like an old friend.  We can always pick up where we left off.

It needs a new name, I think.  "Life in Orlando" won't be fitting after we move back to Colorado.  Any suggestions for me?  I'm all out of mental energy these days.  I've also added some social media links on the sidebar, but can't figure out how to get them nice and close together like they should be.  For today, they'll stay separated.

So, we are moving back to Colorado in a few weeks.  And, I'm so excited--I absolutely adore Colorado, but packing is pretty miserable and I'm pretty tired and overwhelmed these days.  I know I'll be more relaxed after we arrive, but right now life is hard.

We've been in Orlando for almost 7 years now and have really great friends and a pretty extensive network of relationships.  It's going to be a hard move.  I mean, you can always replace stuff, but you just can't go out and instantly acquire new friends.  Thankfully, we have some really great old friends in Colorado...but re-establishing community in our new town will be hard for awhile.

We are also moving away from the life we have always known with the staff of Cru.  It's a huge change for us--moving to a new location without that support network, and it feels a little scary, honestly, but we are ready for it.  New adventures await us!  For the first time in 16 years, I am officially unemployed.  Weird!

I taught my last Jazzercise class at Cru this week, and I have been so sad about that, much more sad than I realized I would be.  I didn't realize I loved it so much.  I mean, I knew I loved it, but I guess I didn't realize how sad I would be to leave that special little place.  It feels pretty huge.  I think I underestimated how much I loved teaching there.  It's hard to say goodbye!

I also find it ironic that in the last 2 years or so, I've made peace with Orlando and the climate.  I think I spent the first 5 years hot.  Just miserable, sweaty and miserable.  But, now, my body has adjusted just in time to move back to a more temperate climate.  I grew up in that climate, but I just know that I am going to be cold for about 5 years before I warm up again!

Well, writing that out was therapeutic.  I'm going to try to start blogging again.  I think it will help my transition to document life for a while.  

Another thing I'll miss about Orlando:  year-long gardening!  Here are some flower photos from a trip this Spring to the nursery.  I've grown to love all the flowers in FL!