Hit me.

"You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to stay."

Warning: This entry may be similar to watching a hummingbird flutter from flower to flower. If you are prone to motion sickness, you may want to forgo reading any further!

First things first, I am freaking blessed! No bones about it, people, this little lady does not deserve the shower of good things that come her way. Although the past few weeks have been a whirlwind, leaving me with a slight case of whiplash...I could not be more grateful or humbled by the love that God has shown me. My being less than perfect provides ample opportunity for me to wonder why God continues to click clack the pieces into place but alas, I am grateful for the puzzle pieces that fit.

A month ago, I planned to return to Indiana at the close of the school year. I felt like Florida was a beautiful place but just not the place for me. It wasn't what I thought it would be and I was pretty confident it would never be. So....I planned, planned, planned my little heart out and started making arrangements to return to the state that nurtured my first thirty years and the people that made those years worth writing about.

Screech! The brakes went on, the dust flew and I was left standing at a crossroads with a big neon sign flashing over head "Decision...Decision...Decision." I received a call from a position I had applied for prior to making the decision to return home. Great. Just great. Here I was thinking that everything was packaged nicely with a bow on top and now you call me for an interview. Leaping out in faith, I scheduled the interview and told myself that I was just investigating all avenues before moving to Indiana. In the depths of my stomach, I had this urgent feeling that this call was God's way of telling me that maybe Florida held more than I had imagined. First the phone interview and then the campus interview. I drove home truly professionally inspired and knew that I would have a handful of a conundrum if the position was offered. A few nerve racking days later, I was offered the position.

As if that's not enough...I just spent the last week enjoying my parent's company in the Sunshine State. Every time I have visitors here in Florida, I am initially reminded of how blessed I am to have the family and friends I do. An appreciation for Florida always sinks in shortly after seeing the beauty that exists here through the eyes of others. I had great talks with my parents, laughed with them, ate tons of yummy food with them and enjoyed the freedom of hugging them whenever I wanted to!! Over and over again during their visit I told them how lucky I felt to be blessed with parents like them all the while understanding that I could never truly verbalize how much I love each of them.

And so, Florida, once again you have surprised me and allowed me to discover the beauty that you hold. I start my new position on Monday knowing that life is funny and ever-changing and oh so good!