The last week or so, I have really been struggling emotionally and mentally. Moving across states to a new area and leaving the majority of my friends and family behind has been harder than I thought it would be. Even though I am fairly introverted, and only really saw them at common meetups, and vacations, or so I thought. But even just not being able to message my sister and ask if she wants to go to the mall, small things.

However, over the last few days, I have realized that being here in Florida hasn't been bad either. I enjoy it here. I love waking up to the sunshine reflecting on the water in our backyard and enjoying my cup of coffee. I love taking my kiddos to the pool to swim and play in the evening, while we watch the sun set over the water. I love taking my son out fishing in the backyard to catch catfish and other interesting things.

I know I'm not going to stop missing home, and the family and friends that are still miles and miles away. However, that doesn't mean I can't make a home here. Enjoying life here doesn't mean betraying them. I know that making new friends will take time, and learning the area will take time. But it will happen. For now, I just need to find little moments of joy to cherish. Find time to explore and make new memories with my kids and husband. There is so much to explore here, and I get excited thinking about it.

So, I will continue to be grateful for the small things, because that is what life is... a collection of small moments. It's up to us to make them special.