A Little Life Update - The Sunshine State

Admittedly, the transition to life here in the Sunshine State wasn't just sunshine and happiness. Andrew started school right away, and once Steven left, I was left to my lonesome. It's taken some adjusting, but I've started to really love life here. Though we are about as far away from home as we could get, it's definitely an adventure.

First day of school!

Andrew has class from 8-12 Monday through Friday. On Mondays, he shadows a family practice doctor from 1-6. Tuesdays is Anatomy day, and his morning is spent dissecting a cadaver. The real deal. Thursday afternoons he has a class where he learns "How to be a Doctor". He's typically on campus until 5 most days, just studying. 

When tests come around, he definitely studies more, but for the most part it's a lot like an 8-5 job. He could be studying more, but right now, it's nice to have a chance to do some fun things together. Andrew passed both of his first big tests and is loving school. I'm glad he loves it because he worked so hard to get here!

One of the highlights thus far was definitely Andrew's White Coat Ceremony. It was SO fun to see him receive his White Coat and to finally feel like all of our hard work and stress over the past year had paid off! The White Coat Ceremony is a lot like a graduation... except before school instead of after. There were speeches, processions, lots of parents taking pictures.... You get the idea.

Andrew is one of 64 students in the fourth class of the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. It's a new school, but there are lots of really cool opportunities that he wouldn't have had other places. Like getting to shadow a doctor right away!

I was just so proud to see him in his white coat. I love this doc of mine!

When Andrew isn't studying, you can usually find us eating or at the beach. It is seriously SO fun getting to experience the place where Andrew served his mission. He has shared so many fun memories and lots of tasty food! I finally got to have my first real baleada. Holy cow. So delish. If you ever find yourself in South Florida, please please please have a baleada. 

Going to the beach sometimes involves avoiding monstrous spiders. The insects and wildlife here definitely take some getting used to. I typically find at least one lizard in my apartment every day. There are three that just like to chill right outside our door. 

Speaking of apartments, we live in this sweet 55+ community. Technically we aren't supposed to be living here, and everyone is surprised that they let us. We just got lucky I guess. A typical day involves running into our perma-shirtless neighbor, getting asked to the pool by my favorite gate guard Stan, and avoiding dirty looks from grumpy old lady drivers.

All in all, Tuscany D has been good to us.

 Just another day in the life.

A lowlight (??) of our time here was when Andrew's doctor told him he had to cut his hair. Yeah, it was getting pretty long... and he probably does look a little more professional now, but I was pretty bummed to cut off all of the blonde. We had lots of fun before the fateful day though!

Since living here, I have become an aunt, twice. Okay, technically once. My sister-in-law Avery had a beautiful baby girl, Emmaline (on the left). But, my BFF cousin Mallory ALSO had a beautiful baby girl, Kennedy (on the right), so I'm pretty much considering myself an aunt to her too. Hope that is alright. Unfortunately Google Hangouts and FaceTime just aren't as good as real life. One of the not so great things about living in the bottom corner of the country. 

In between pool days, temple nights, football games, and getting super cute packages from friends (thanks Kayla!), I'm actually pretty busy working two jobs! Yep. Two. It took me a while to find a job, so I ended up just going to the mall and applying at a bunch of places. Gotta work retail at some point right? That's how I ended up at Bath and Body Works.

Yep, I rock the gingham apron.

A few days ago at BBW a 16 year old boy came up and handed me this. I've still got it, folks.

When I'm not at BBW, which is most of the time, I'm working at a start up SEO company here in Florida called LoSoMo. It's kind of crazy how it came to be. Andrew worked with someone in Utah who randomly moved down here to FL and started an SEO Company. We ran into him at Stake Conference right when they were looking for another person to help them get their business going. 

I'm really loving it because I get to do a little bit of everything! I'm learning lots about web design, adobe illustrator, account management, and what it takes to start your own business. The balloons were for an community event we had a few weeks ago.

I'm also serving in the Nursery at church (for a whopping 3-5 kiddos) and I'm in charge of the primary program (for a whopping 11 kiddos). We're in a really new ward that has TONS of new members, so it's an exciting place to be.

As you leave the Boca Raton ward building....

 Welp, that's the latest and greatest!

It's hotter than heck. It rains every day. It's far from family and friends. But it's home, and I love it.