Florida (28 May - 1 June)

We finally made it to Clearwater, Florida...the last stop on our trip before returning to Germany. I was happy to visit there and meet Sam's friend and family that I'd heard so much about, but it took me a little while to be excited about being there. I was ready to get back home to Germany, sleep in my own bed and stop living out of a suitcase. 2 1/2 months is a LONG time to be away from home.

On top of that, I was in a lot of pain during my time in Virginia and Florida. Ever since Elly was born (even a little before that) I've had lots of pain in my neck and shoulders. I've been to a chiropractor in Alaska (last summer), then an orthopedic doctor in Germany who ordered physical therapy, then I saw my town doctor when I was back in Alaska, but am still trying to find an answer. The morning after Elly and I arrived in Virginia I pulled my neck/shoulder/arm somehow and for about a month after that had severe pain in that whole area with pain radiating down my left arm. I've just recently pulled something again and am back to that pain, but the whole time we were in Florida I was hurting, so that just added to my misery. I say all that not to complain, but to explain my mindset while I was there. I just wanted to quit hurting and get back home. No one else can see the pain that someone is experiencing and it's really hard to enjoy things and act as if everything is fine when all your energy seems to be focused on the pain you're dealing with.

Anyhow, in spite of all that, I really did enjoy meeting Sam's best friend from childhood and his family. They were so sweet and Elly just fell in love with their youngest daughter, Marley. Everywhere we went Elly was asking about Marley. I can't tell you how many times we heard "Where's Marley?" over the week we were there.

Our final couple of days there were really wonderful. I think we both had finally relaxed and were just completely enjoying the beach and time together, knowing that when we returned to Germany it would be back to the grindstone. Of course, it took me all week to realize we had a whole shopping center just across the street from our hotel. I love me some Target! I'm really not a big shopper, but after being in Germany I just LOVE to go into a store like Target and see everything there at my fingertips :) It's something we don't have overseas and I miss it. I think most Americans overseas would say the same thing.

Here's Elly...looking about how I felt :) This was the evening that we arrived. We went to our hotel from the airport and Elly got a nap and we showered to get the travel grime off of us before heading over to Matt and Davin's that evening.

Having ice cream with Marley. Elly's two favorite things at the time...Marley and ice cream.

Matt and Davin with their 3 youngest (and Elly).

The next day, Matt and Davin had a beach get-together planned with some of their friends. I was in a lot of pain that day and was not very jolly. Too bad, because it could have been a really fun day. Elly enjoyed being with Marley though and Sam took her out on the Ski doo.

Elly enjoyed having a snack in the shade.

Marley and Elly having cookies at the water's edge.

Sam and Matt

Sam took Elly to the pool at the hotel. This was right outside our door, which was nice.

I just HAD to post this :) Sam was ready to go Tarpin fishin'.

Sam and Matt went out fishing one day. Matt's brother-in-law is a boat captain, so the guys got together and went fishing for Tarpin. It was catch and release, but Sam had a lot of fun.

Beautiful Florida sunset as they were heading back in after their fishing trip.

Elly was checking out her "Hadassah braids". All braids are Hadassah braids to her because my little neice, Hadassah, has the most beautiful long braids. I guess they made quite an impression on her.

Elly and Mama at the beach soaking up some more sun before heading back to Germany.

Elly loved collecting shells on the beach. I'm used to the beaches in Hawaii where it's rare to find a nice shell. The waves in Hawaii are much stonger and there is more of a shore break so it's rare, in my experience, to find a nice whole shell. I was amazed at the beautiful shells we found in Florida.

The water was wonderful! Much warmer than in Hawaii.

My little water baby :) I love her!

Off to find some shells with Daddy.

An elderly gentleman saw us gathering shells and told Sam he had some to give us. He lives there and had lost his wife a few years ago. Sam said his apartment was filled with containers of shells. Elly loved looking through them all.

She thought this one looked like an ice cream cone.

Acting like she's eating her ice cream (shell).

She, obviously, thought she was pretty funny :)

This was our last day in Florida. We went to Clearwater Beach for just a little while before rushing back to the hotel to get showered and packed and to the airport in time for our flight back to Germany.

And that, my friends, is the conclusion of our LONG stateside visit. We made lots of memories and had a great time. It was wonderful being back in Hawaii, spending time with all of our families, being back in Alaska for awhile and then seeing more family and friends on the East coast, but I was really ready to get back to my home. I just wish we didn't live so far away. I would love to be with our families more often. I would love for Elly to know her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends better, but this is where we are at this time in our lives, so I must make the best of it. I am sorry it took me so long to get these posts done. There were so many pictures to upload that it seemed to be a never ending job, but I'm glad it's done. Now I just have to get June, July and August caught up...it never ends :) So, until next time...