Dear Florida

Dear Florida,

You’re warmer than LA right now and I only brought one pair of shorts. Everywhere is air conditioned which makes me too cold. You are full of toll roads, which are difficult in a rental car due to the fees associated with the Sun Pass, and driving the stretch from Palm Beach to Orlando is an extra hour off the toll roads. I’ve done this twice, and in that extra hour I’ve found too many red light cameras and one of them took a picture of my rental car license plate. When I was turning left on yellow. Thanks for nothing. And what’s up with all those unprotected left turns across three lanes of traffic? And all the pedestrians who pretend there aren’t cars driving 45mph towards them? Or how about all the cars I keep getting stuck behind that are going 20mph under the speed limit in the left lane? And ALL.THE.GATED.COMMUNITIES. Like the one I got stuck outside of, after being on the road for five hours alone with my near 20-month-old. No, operator, Jeremy is not with me but my name was supposed to be on that list too. No, operator, my sister and brother-in-law aren’t at the house right now to come pick me up, they are 20 miles north in Palm Beach. No, operator, I cannot get ahold of my friend so she can verify I am indeed allowed to drive up to her home. Legitimate panic attack: 1, Bekah: 0 (I got in about 15 minutes later after getting ahold of my friend.)

Oh, and Florida, I’m taking home with me some memories I’d rather not have made. A fainting brother during wedding pictures, a feverish ring-bearer who couldn’t enjoy the wedding, a father of the bride with Norovirus in the hours leading up to walking his daughter down the aisle, a lost iPhone, a presumably stolen laptop that was thankfully located, a niece with hundreds of unrecognizable bug bites, the aforementioned red light ticket, a brother with a hacking cough, what gives, Florida?

Dear Florida,

I’m clearly not in love with you. But, dear Florida, I’m in love with the company I’m keeping here.
A sister who was more beautiful on her wedding day, inside and out, than I’d ever seen her before. A new brother (in law) who I am honored to call family. Mom and Dad with all of their children and grandchildren in one place for the first time in almost three and a half years. Spending time with my nieces and watching them and Harrison play together. Seeing Aunts and Uncles that I rarely get to spend time with and passing my sick baby off to my Aunt Beth for some cuddles, and he actually stayed in her arms. Having a whirlwind 20 hour Kozeluh family vacation in Disney Springs and watching Harrison be soooo delighted with all the one-on-one time he got with Jer over the weekend. Anticipating the last part of our trip up in Cocoa Beach, reuniting with the family members who spent the past few days in Disney, and having a low-key Christmas enjoying each other’s company. These are the moments I live for, and Florida- not even you can take them from me.

Love,
Rebekah

Anything at all for any of the beautiful beings in this photo.