Well, we've been here for nearly 2 weeks...and although we both miss friends and family back home, I'm learning to enjoy our new place in life.
We've met some of the neighbors, and last night went over to our directly-across-the-street neighbor's house for some dessert, and met some more of the neighborhood. Most of the street is made up of grad students or people who work at the university, and most (really, nearly all) of the couples have young children or are pregnant. I'll admit, I feel kind of weird about this, since we're not ready to have kids just yet, and, because of my PCOS, don't even know if we can have children biologically. But, it will certainly be useful if we do, to have so many experienced young moms in the area, and, hopefully, LOTS of hand-me-down baby furniture and clothes!
The wildlife has been an adjustment...Ave Maria is essentially a swamp, so we're battling mosquitoes constantly, which isn't terribly new given that we grew up in New Bern, also a swamp. But, the gators (there is apparently a large 7-foot one that lives in the pond in our neighborhood, and a smaller once that lives in the pond in the park across the street), the wild boar, and the panthers, not to mention the usual raccoons and possum, hawks, egrets, and palmetto bugs, makes me feel like a pioneer living in as-yet-unsettled land. It certainly makes going for walks an adventure!
I'm still trying to find my feet and get a job...the sun is so bright out it's hard to drive, or go out at all, during the middle of the day. It's strange to be in a place where the beach season is October to May! I'll post more updates as I have them...prayers and thoughts appreciated in the meantime!
