Tag Archives: dear friend

Florida road trip: Part II

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i moved from Orlando to Charlotte when i was 17.  my Dad got a job transfer my senior year in high school.  i was a relatively “good” kid growing up so my parents gave me the option to stay in Orlando with my best friend’s family and finish my senior year – OR – move  with them to Charlotte; the unknown; a million miles away from everything i had ever known.  i didn’t even blink when they gave me my two choices: what idiot would leave Orlando their senior year?!  i had a boyfriend, a great tan, a wonderful job working with kids, a bunch of amazing friends, was apart of a cool youth group, went to the beach all the time, you get it – life was kinda cool in Florida.  i told everyone who asked me that “i was thinking/praying about moving with my parents”.  but the truth was i never even slightly had considered moving to Charlotte.  not even a little.

me circa 1998 – gotta love the 90′s

New Smyrna Beach 1998: my brother Nick, April, Jenn & me (brown as the day is long)

long story short, 3 days before my parents left i kind of had a breakdown…..errr encounter with the Lord(?)  i had been out late with friends and when i came home my Dad had left a piece of paper on my bed that had a picture of some cheesy sailboats and this:

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

- André Gide

still to this day i have no idea why this broke me, but it did.  i fell apart that night and started frantically throwing my stuff into boxes.  it was like the future, potential Jessie took over and knew something that the present Jessie was too naive & immature to know.  my soul needed to lost sight of the shore i had always been on.  my soul longed for change and risk and adventure but my heart and mind were too terrified to ever push off the dock.  something took over that night and packed my boxes.  i know 17 year old Jessie never would have done it on her own.  but whoever did it, i’m indebted to.

so yeah…..3 days later i got in my band-stickered 1991 Honda accord hatchback (complete with zebra-print seat covers) and cried the entire length of the state of Florida and into the arms of the unknown; the arms of the Queen City.  i’m glad i left that day.  i have grown much and learned much and changed so much.  but i am and always will be a Florida girl.  always.  so when i return there’s a big part of me that comes alive.  for however weird and ridiculously smoldering hot Florida is, it’s still my home and i will forever love and appreciate it’s strangeness and beauty.

and with that here’s the second half of my recent Florida fling:

the kids and i stayed 2 nights with my second parents The Dorn’s in Oviedo.  i’m sad i didn’t get pictures of them and the kids.  we had a great time and Lynn cooked me some of the best food of my life.  they are one of the only people/places from my childhood that are still in the same house.  it’s refreshing to have a familiar place to return to; that feels safe and makes you remember your childhood.  (sorry no pictures from their house).

next stop – Palm Beach Gardens

one of my best girls Kristina & her doll Adoration

Adoration & Sparrow

Noah isn’t very good at sleeping on beds

just 10 minutes from Kristina’s house is a sea turtle rehabilitation center.  we went there.

Adoration had a giant Hello Kitty that Sparrow fell in love with.  so one afternoon Sparrow & i went to the mall and got her one too.

early mornings

driving back to Orlando

stayed our last night with my sweet friends The Monteserin’s

after baths and dinner The Monteserin’s volunteered to babysit and sent me out the door.  I met up with their son (my favorite Puerto Rican) Stephan to attend an art show he was throwing.  I arrived at his house (where he lives with like 12 other people) and was tickled to see that his bed is perched atop a working jacuzzi.  seriously.

 

Stephan works at an eclectic little coffee shop called Credo – which is where he was putting on the art show.  upon arrival i demanded a cappuccino or a nap – because i was so freaking tired.  he obliged with a capp and i woke up enough to enjoy the evening.  i met so many people and answered the same questions a hundred times: How do you know Stephan?  What do you do?  What are you doing in Florida?  i had a great time.  and came home to this:

next morning we ate some breakfast and had a bit of a meltdown getting out the of the house, but once we were on the road the kids fell asleep and all was right in the world again.  Unfortunately we hit hours of stop and go traffic on 95, which turned the 8 hour drive into a 12 hour drive.  thank the Lord for car DVD players and Walt Disney.  between Cars, Cars2 and Finding Nemo we survived the traffic nightmare.  until i blew a tire 20 minutes outside of Charlotte.  CUSS!

my brother Nick who lives in Rock Hill came to my rescue with a couple of friends.  and then Mark showed up too.  i had 4 guys fixing my flat on the side of the road.  i was so tired i could barely talk.  but they changed the tire and i headed home to sleep soundly in my own bed.

 it was an epic trip and i’m glad i took it.  i am already planning another one.  have to get back to see Kristina again.  Hopefully i can convince some other friends to join me this time?!

people, we really do have to lose sight of the shore if we hope to explore new oceans.

tallyho!

jessie

Florida road trip: Part I

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facts:

  • my life is messy right now
  • i have kids
  • i love to travel
  • i grew up in Florida
  • i want to be at the beach for always

sometimes i have to break things down for myself and regardless of how scary or hopeless the big picture seems in the moment, i try to make a little picture that i can enjoy.  one foot in front of the other.  one day at a time.  with that said, a month ago i took m’self a road trip.

i decided to post this trip (and a couple more trips i have taken) for a couple reasons:

1.  i hope to encourage anyone that even when you’re in the middle of a category 5 tropical shit storm, you can still make strides to do things that make your heart happy.  it won’t change all or any of your circumstances, no…..but for me, having a smile on my face for a week was a place to start.

2.  i hope to inspire Mom’s (especially) to take more risks with their kids and then be surprised at how resilient and flexible all of you really can be.  i drove my 3 1/2 year old and my almost 2 year old from Charlotte to Jacksonville, to Orlando, to West Palm Beach and back – by myself.  i’m not trying to toot my own horn…..i’m just bearing witness that you can do it too.  you’re not trapped and you don’t have to sit in your yoga pants all day and watch Curious George and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for the next 5 years.  just make a plan.  save some money and dig deep for your adventurous spirit – it’s still in there!!!  was it tough?  yeah i have kids remember?  but we made a lot of great memories, saw some old friends, made some new friends and drank up the sun and sand like there was no tomorrow.  i also got closer to my kids.  which is always a plus.

now here’s a ridiculous amount of pictures from my iphone (sorry for the grain)…..

first stop Jax Beach


we stayed with one of my childhood best friend’s: Kaci and her husband Daniel.  Noah and Sparrow hit it off with their kids Elijah and Ryland.  It was delicious toddler mahem.

i am so sad i didn’t get a picture of Kaci and i together.  she and i have been friends since we were 7.

above photo is so cute i just want to throw up

saw this incredible Florida sunset driving from Jax to Oviedo – our next stop.

new pup at The Dorn’s and Noah’s little bed on the floor

spent a few hours with dear friends Amy & Lisa and their brood of children

spent that evening with besties: Matt & Jennifer Fox and my very own Stephan Monteserin at Redlight Redlight!

i look so tired, because i am so tired.  kids don’t care how late you stay up.  they want warm oatmeal and tickle sessions at 7:45am.

Jenn & i have been friends since we were in 6th grade.

stay tuned for part II!  Florida at it’s finest: sea turtles, jacuzzi beds, art shows and a flat tire.

xo,

jessie

bucket list

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people, it’s time for another list.  i saw a dear friend recently and we got to discussing bucket lists – she confessed she didn’t really have one and so i encouraged her to start thinking of things she’d like to do at some point in her life.  a week later she sends me a picture of herself on a motorcycle and says bucket list: CHECK!

so here’s a slice of mine.  i kinda feel like it’s always changing; or i’m always adding to it.  so don’t hold me to this in a year.  it might have changed drastically by then.

what’s on your bucket list?  i wanna know!

lately

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lately i have had the privilege of partaking in some beautiful and inspiring events.  my normal day to day life can get monotonous (as i’m sure everyone’s can), so it’s super healthy for me to change things up every now and then so i don’t go absolutely crazy.  i often crave change and adventure and spontaneity, so the past 2 weeks have definitely quenched that craving.  or just made me hungrier…..?

first off, i’ve been able to get back in the classroom and teach a bit.  my college degree is in elementary education and before i had my kids i taught full-time for a couple years.  now i am getting back into it by being a substitute teacher at an incredible school called Charlotte United Christian Academy.  my best friend Anna‘s husband is the vice principal at this school (and he’s also a good friend of mine), and he contacts me when they are in need of a sub.  if i can scrounge up a sitter to watch my fox and sparrow, then i take the job.  it’s kinda perfect for me because i can say “no” if i have to, but then i still have a job.  perfect.  on the flip side, i really love teaching and i’m not trying to toot my own horn, but i think it’s something i am good at it.  i believe there are gifts the Lord gives us that we can be honest about and say (without it sounding totally vain) that we know we succeed at.  i think teaching is mine.  and as much as i love it, there are a lot of reasons i’m not savvy about going back into it full-time right now.  1.  i love investing in kids, but i’d rather invest most of my time into my own kids.  2.  a teacher’s salary consists of peanuts and pocket lint.

i had the honor of teaching 2nd grade at CUCA for several days in a row.  it was surely a treat.

as you can see, i ranked just below “goo” on the beauty scale.  this totally made my day!  what an honor.

then…..

last friday i participated in a photoshoot for hair and makeup with some friends of mine over at nathan abplanalp photography.  i am not a big hair or makeup girl, so being all “doody’d up” took me by surprise every time i caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror.  i decided this is what i might look like if i were a vampire.

hair by Katy Barbour.  makeup by Erin Chapman.  they are both looking to get into the Wedding scene, so if you need anyone for hair and makeup, hire these girls!  they were great!

here’s a sneak peak from our shoot

photo by nathan abplanalp

immediately following the shoot, i rushed home, changed clothes, packed a bag, kissed my babies and picked up these two cuties for a road trip to Atlanta!

we headed down to GA for our dear friend, April’s twin baby shower!  i’ve known April for over 13 years, and even had the joy of living with her when i was in college.  she is one of my most favorite people ever and to be able to honor her at her baby shower was a no-brainer.  April is one of the many women in my life that has dealt with the nightmare tragedy of unexplainable infertility.  i won’t get into her whole story, but after 5 years of trying EVERYTHING to get pregnant, she and her husband finally had successful invitro and are expecting twins a BOY and a GIRL in 7 weeks!!!!  check out April’s story here

April & Adam invited like 15 people to stay at their house for the weekend, and then 67 people showed up for the actual baby shower!  the blessings showered on this family were so numerous, and April didn’t even open all the gifts at the shower.  we had to bring them back to her house and have round 2 of present opening!

i rode this baby giraffe at the shower.  it was wild.

after the baby shower, we all went back to April’s and she opened round 2 of presents.  then, the most amazing thing happened.  you’ll just have to wait for the next post to find out….

but here’s a teaser…

i’ll just say that my bucket list got shorter!