Sunday, January 18, 2009

America's Sunshine State -- A Mosaic of Sorts

As we pulled away from the Vista Cay condominium on that sunny and warm January morning, we had no choice but to leave my Grandparents behind. Tim McGraw seemed to pick up on my melancholy, singing...

My old friend, I apologize
For the years that have passed
Since the last time you and I
Dusted off those memories
But the running and the races
The people and the places
There's always somewhere else I had to be
Time gets thin, my old friend

And, as usual, I choked back my goodbye-tears. The memories that we had created during our brief two weeks in Florida, with both with friends and family, came rushing back to me, mere images in my head. Mostly, it was simple things, like...

...the walk back from the grocery store with my Grandfather along a sun-drenched Orlando sidewalk...

...strolling down a Cocoa Beach sidewalk with Lukas in the tropical-like climate, pausing to smile up at the glistening palm trees, and giggle as lizards darted past our feet...

...tranquil time spent at the Mediterranean-inspired Merritt Island La Bella Spa (a post-pregnancy gift from my Mom and sisters)...

...the expression on Lukas' face after getting splashed with ice cold salt water in the front row of the Shamu show (at Sea World), courtesy of one of their incredible orca whales...

...swimming in palm-fringed, heated, outdoor pools; surrounded by hibiscus...

...trips to the iconic WalMart (it only becomes iconic if you live outside of the U.S. for a given amount of time)...

...romantic "date-night" in the quaint Cocoa Village, where, as a Christmas gift from my sisters, we dined like royalty, served by a self-proclaimed penguin, at Cafe Margaux...

...meeting up with another multi-national couple and their sweet baby girl, for a Costco-style dinner (and breakfast the next morning)...

...spending time with family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, walking out to the Banana River, then beach, in the sunshine...

...munching on all-American "hero" sandwiches with my Uncle Paul and his family, while solving the world's biggest problems from the confines of his screened-in outdoor jacuzzi...

...meeting with old friends in the much-changed neighborhood of my youth, dining at College Park's Harmoni Market "fusion" restaurant, and pretending as if 10 years haven't gone by...

...watching Chef Tobi whip up some German food on New Year's Eve at our friends, Anne and Andy's house, as we indulged in "Pink Martini's", oblivious to the kids raising hell in the next room (yeah, right... as if oblivion were an option in motherhood)...

...eating Cuban sandwiches and drinking cold, sweet tea on the white sands of the West Coast's "Treasure Island", reputed to be America's widest beach...

...sipping on Bahamritas and eating garlic-infused jerk shrimp with "G-ma", "G-pa", and my sweet, 13-year-old, cousin Renae at the likes of Bahama Breeze...

...the impressions made on Lukas (and Mama) at the awe-inspiring Kennedy Space Center and Astronaut Hall of Fame - on yet another incredible sunny Florida day ("I'm not Lukas, I'm an astronaut!"), and, afterwards, popping corn fritters like the end is near and indulging in Dixie Crossroads' butter-drenched rock shrimp in the town of Titusville...

...introducing my Grandparents (visiting from New Mexico) to Winter Park's stunning Park Avenue and one of our favorite hot-spots - outdoor dining at the Briarpatch Restaurant, plus the spot on the lake where we were married...

...Lukas running through the iconic Central Park on Park Avenue with balloons in hand, ecstatic about his (pre)birthday bash and Winnie the Pooh cake...

...sitting with my Mom and Grandmother in a quiet Park Avenue courtyard, sipping on a sweet, cold coffee drink from Barney's...

...driving through Florida - over the St. John's River and Intercoastal Waterway - to North Florida, where we visited my Aunt Beth and her family, spending time together another spa, then cherishing her rediculously perfect house (and neighborhood)...

...sipping on Snickers flavored martinis and people watching at the trendy new Vines Grille and Wine Bar on Sand Lake Drive (with the hubby & my "little" sister)...

...admiring downtown's darling, Lake Eola; eating at the nearby Panera Bread Company; spending time with my cousin Tiffany; and watching our kids be kids on the playground together -- just as we had done decades earlier...

...shopping at Waterford Lakes and getting our fingers deliciously dirty at Smokey Bones' BBQ...

...a child's delight as Mickey Mouse rode by on floats at the various Magic Kingdom parades, time spent being a kid at the Winnie-the-Pooh-inspired playground, chocolate covered faces after indulging in the quintessential mickey-inspired-ice-cream-bar, and Lukas' cuddles with my Mom on the fairy boat back to the parking lot -- as they said their goodbyes...

Walking, driving, or flying away is never easy, but we're so grateful for the time spent together, and the memories created along the way. Florida, and our family and friends there - and across America - will always hold an extra special place in the mosaic that has become our lives.

Back "home", all of those moments, together with the sunshine that accompanied us, will be instrumental in getting us through the remainder of a rainy, cold Zeeland winter. But no matter what the weather, one thing is certain... we'll have even more memories in the making.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dear Elise,

We really enjoyed seeing all of you again and we, too, have cherished memories of your time in Florida. I miss you all and enjoy hearing about your lives and your memories.

Hugs,

Mom