And You Thought the Baby was Big News...

Well, if you're reading this blog, then odds are you've already heard our big news. Jason and I are moving back to North Carolina! Jason was offered a job at a firm in Charlotte, and I'm so proud of him. We will have a total of 3 weeks to make the transition. We've been on our own down here in Florida for seven years, and we are excited to step into instant family. The move is bittersweet; we fell in love with Miami from the instant we moved here. There are so many beautiful places and wonderful people that we will truly miss. I have pictured our little girl growing up here, taking a jogging stroller down my favorite paths, treating her to gelato in Coconut Grove, visiting the gorgeous parks all within walking distance, and more. Obviously, this vision is going to have to do some readjusting. Now I envision the people who already love her so much meeting her in the hospital, cousins playing on a daily basis, and a huge crowd of loving family members at her birthday parties. While we may be leaving a place we love, we are so happy to have the people we love nearby, and it's definitely a great trade-off.

That being said, I thought this blog could be my final farewell to Miami. Let's begin with the beginning. I was so fortunate to get a job at Gulliver Academy, and the last four years there have been very professionally rewarding. I used to say that teaching was my livelihood, and not my life. However, at Gulliver, these lines were crossed. I loved going to work each day. I loved the way the sun broke through the pink clouds shortly after sunrise as I pulled into the the parking lot in the morning. I loved the people I worked with whose professionalism and experience helped me to become a better teacher. I loved the students I taught who were witty, intelligent, and thoughtful. I loved the little girls who I tutored two to three times a week for the last fours years. Little girls isn't even the appropriate name for them; they've grown into beautiful, bright, and sophisticated young ladies. Saying goodbye to such a wonderful family this morning was heartbreaking. (Shout out: Camille and Bianca- you better keep in touch sweeties!)

Here's a shot of the courtyard in the center of Gulliver Academy. Have you ever seen such beautiful landscaping at a middle school?!

Ok, on to the next goodbye. Jason and I have lived on the same street for the last four years. When we were looking to move here, Jason Google-mapped the city and chose this street. It has been perfect. Edgewater drive lies right on the Gables Waterway and opens up onto Biscayne Bay. It's a quiet street on the edge of Coral Gables and Coconut Grove. There are three parks within a short walking distance, and running trails in every direction. Below are pictures of the trails I ran nearly every day, and I still never got tired of them. The banyan trees looked like something out of an 80's Jim Henson movie, and some puppet troll could pop out at any moment. While seasons may not actually exist in Miami, something new was always in bloom, and I felt lucky to have such a beautiful place to run.

Old Cutler is the name of the road I ran on nearly every day. I will not miss the street signs in Coral Gables. They look like little tombstones, and they are extremely difficult to read, especially at night. Coral Gables: It's time to get legit street signs.

Doesn't this make you want to go for a run right now? Olive and I will have to take a jog when we come back for visits.

These are the banyan trees I was telling you about. The vines grow down and become their roots. Seriously some Purple Crystal/Labyrinth-type setting, right?

This Park, Matheson Hammock, was generally my turn-around point while running. I could always talk myself into a mid-run stretch here to enjoy the scenery.

On to where we spent a good deal of our leisure time. Now, Miami has lots of great shopping and restaurants, but we rarely ventured out of our two-mile radius. Downtown Coconut Grove is a charming and eclectic spot with lots of great restaurants and entertainment. Here are a few of my favorite spots in the Grove.

Here's the Grove Harbor, where sailboats live all year long. There is a Fresh Market right on the water, which was my favorite grocery store. It's always nice when shopping for groceries can be a pleasant experience, and you don't have someone ramming your heels with a shopping cart to prod you down the crowded aisle more quickly. That actually happens here. Often.

Pretty much every restaurant in the Grove offers outdoor dining. The sidewalks literally go between tables. This is Green Street, and it's a great place to people watch and enjoy the scenery year-round. I went here with my Dad on his visit, and Angie and I had brunch here just the other day.

The best way to finish off any meal? With gelato, of course! This stuff is UNREAL! Goodbye, sweet, sweet gelato. I'll miss you most of all... sniff, sniff. (I won't actually miss it the most)

I also love this great little bookstore. It has checkerboard tables, and Cam and I would play checkers here when he came for a visit. I was too competitive to let him win, which shames me to this day. You should let a nine-year-old beat you at checkers.

Last but not least is my favorite historic site in Miami: Vizcaya. It was owned by James Deering, who started John Deere with his brother. He built this amazing estate before Miami really even existed. All of the rooms inside are decorated with elaborate furniture selected in Europe by a decorator he sent there for three years for no other purpose than to send a bunch of stuff back for his "vacation home." Basically, Miami is what it is because this guy put it on the map. The extravagance of this place is unbelievable, and I love visiting from time to time.

This place used to be an entire compound with orchards, gardens, farms and servants. Deering had two guys whose job it was to rake the gravel in fancy patterns each time someone drove through it. He also had a rare blood disorder, so one guy was on staff just to give him blood transfusions (his own blood). Now that is wealth. A lot of the land was donated after his death, and now there is a waterfront hospital next door.

Here's a view from the grounds. There is a secret bar underneath this structure. It was built during the time of prohibition, and smugglers could pull right up with the booze. Deering knew how to party.

Well, Miami, it's been a great four-year vacation. We will miss your mingled cultures, tropical weather, vibrant colors, and delicious bagels. This would be a lot more difficult if we didn't have so much to look forward to. To our North Carolina family and friends: We love you and can't wait to join you soon. Olive will be so fortunate to have you all in her life. It's good to finally come home.