Thoughts After 1 Week

Saturday marked a week for us being Florida residents!  It's strange, in some ways I'm wondering where the time went and in other ways this has felt like one of the longest weeks ever!  I know we have lots of people praying for us and we just want to say a huge thanks for all of the love and support we've received!

Life is certainly different here in the South compared to what we're used to.  I've been jotting down some thoughts about various aspects of society and culture down here to share with you readers and for myself as I know my perspectives will change in time.

First things first....I GOT THE JOB!  After I fill out all the paperwork tomorrow I will officially be a Site Historian at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates :)  Super excited to learn more about Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and their contributions to the Fort Myers area in the 1920s.  Thank you to all who prayed!  The interview was kind of bizarre and only lasted about 10 minutes, which made me a bit nervous thinking that these people must be desperate, but I think it will be a good fit and shouldn't be too terribly difficult to get comfortable with.  The downside is during their busy season (now until May) I will be working a majority of Saturdays :(  Super bummed about that but confident that it will all work out fine.  Zach's job situation is still being worked out so we'd appreciate continued prayers in that area specifically!

Now for some updates, observations, musings, etc.  

Location:  The city we live in is Cape Coral.  First impressions of the area are that it's older (buildings and people;D), more unique, more colorful, and more mom and pop than neighboring Fort Myers.  Fort Myers has more of the familiar chains and up-scale shopping areas and homes while Cape Coral is a little more of the privately owned businesses and lower income families.  We live in one of the only single-family homes in our neighborhood and it's just so cute :)  We seriously LOVE our house and what neighbors we have met are very friendly.  About a mile and a half from our house is the Cape Coral Bridge which takes you over the Caloosahatchee River and into Fort Myers.  We've practiced saying Caloosahatchee several times and can finally say it right instead of Calasahootchee which is what we were saying ;) Every time you cross the bridge back into Cape Coral you have to pay a toll which is super annoying but we've been told it's meant to keep the young, crazy Spring Breakers away and out of the Cape which tells you a little something about the demographics here (think old ;D).

Speaking of demographics...
People:  There is definitely an interesting assortment of people in Florida.  You get them from all over!  I've never been around so many "New Yahkers" and people from Jersey in my life:)  I have to catch myself before I pinch Zach under the table at a restaurant because he'll unknowingly start slipping into a Jersey accent with the waitress!  
The stereotypes are true, most people in Florida are over the age of 60.  It must be true when my first observation after stopping in at a Target in Fort Myers was, "wow the people are a lot younger over here!"  Especially with church, we see this time as a great opportunity to expand our friend circle and glean a lot of wisdom from the older generation:)
Not only are the people older here but there's a lot of them!  It is crowded here in Florida!!  Traffic can be really bad at times and I hear it will just get worse as the temperatures drop.  Yippee!  It's been awhile since I lived in a big city so I'm going to have to fight the urge to stay inside and venture out into the busyness once in awhile.

Weather:  Who knew it rains so much here?!?  We didn't!  Apparently this time of year it rains pretty much every day, which it has.  After the first few days you just expect it.  The nice thing is it only lasts a short while and then it's sunny again :)  It does amp up the humidity, though, and you do get a lot sweatier which will be just lovely when I start working primarily outdoors.

With a different climate come different...
Creatures:  Centipedes and lizards and bugs, oh my!  Lots of new creepy crawly things to experience.  Lizards are the main treat.  They're half cute and half terrifying!  Mostly I'm terrified they'll get in the house but so far they just climb up the windows and make me think they're inside.

And the final thought for today...
Thrift Stores:  This area has thrift stores galore!!  With the constant buying and selling of condos and homes down here people buy and sell furniture all the time!  You can find anything and everything in one of the hundred + consignment, goodwills, or thrift stores in the city.  People move down into a fully furnished condo, don't like the furniture in it so they donate it and buy brand new stuff, then move away 5 months later and sell everything!  If you see me online I'm probably searching for a couch or coffee table from West Elm on Craigslist :)  I was never a thrift store girl before but one week here has changed me!  When I can find a brand new Brita pitcher at "4 Broke Sisters" for $5 instead of paying $30 at Walmart how can I not thrift?  It's quickly becoming my new past time.  I think we drug poor Emily to at least 5 thrift stores in 1 day while she was here :)

That's all I got for now!  Hopefully soon I'll post about Emily's time here and what our first week with TNB was like as well as explain our role in it :)  Right now we're slowly piecing together our home...