Discovering My Home State

We went to Chet's gravesite and then I showed him my elementary, middle, and high schools as well as Kanapaha park. The family went to Cedar Key where we went on the dock where we saw Dolphins and Seagulls, checked out the stores, and ate seafood and gator tail. He got the coastal life experience. We ate in High Springs and went to O'Leno State Park. We crossed the old suspension bridge and followed the river trail. The nature here is so exciting and different for him. We looked for Gators at Lake Alice but didn't find any, but we did see the bats come out of the bat house at dusk. Andrew shared with me the experience he had where he got the answer that he should marry me. I was really happy!!! I went to my last foot doctor appointment and then I took Andrew to see my Dad's office. We went swimming in the pool and it was so refreshing. Mom took us to the Ivey House in Williston where we ate amazing seafood again and then we went in the jacuzzi. It rained a good amount during the trip and we played and walked around in the downpour. We watched Gone With The Wind, went to the Natural History Museum of Florida and the Butterfly Rainforest, which he loved. I showed him the Football Stadium, my old house, and a park. Meredith sang at a banquet for Drama and then we saw a movie. We went to Putt-Putt with Katie, Chino, Jaime and Meredith. We lost. Andrew played me the newer songs he wrote about me since I left Provo. They are so so good and catchy. I learned to play "Imagine" on the guitar. My closest friends came over to my house to meet Andrew. It was so fun to have them all get to know him and ask him questions and be with my Florida friends. We visited my Grandma Langford at her home. Andrew found her to be delightful and she loved him because all his questions were about spiritual things. We walked out on Paines Prairie and finally saw an alligator. We went to dinner with some the Lowrys whom I really enjoy and who treated us to a grown up dinner outing. We drove to Saint Augustine and checked out St. George Street and saw the old fort and old city. We drove to Anastasia Park beach to lay out and play in the ocean. It was so beautiful and perfect weather. The family played Balderdash, Andrew's favorite game, and everyone was laughing so hard. Andrew and I floated down the Itchetucknee River in the rain. That was pretty but cold and I don't like the underwater foliage. One night we watched Mystery Men and another time we watched Ya Ya Sisterhood. Sometimes Andrew plays the guitar and it is about the sexiest thing ever! We went to Micanopy and visited the beautiful Herlong Mansion, the place that both my sisters went to for their honeymoons. It is a huge southern home with different themes in each room. We visited Karen's farm where we helped her out a bit and milked a cow. It smelled horrid and we all realized that we are not cut out to be farm kids. We ate so incredible southern supper including frog legs, fried green tomatoes, and more alligator bites at the award winning Cross Creek restaurant. There was a famous blues singer, guitar, harmonica player who serenaded us during the dinner. Andrew has gotten a thorough 2 week lesson on the south and its culture from experiencing it and lessons from my parents. I enjoyed swinging in the porch swing and gazebo or justgazing at the stars while laying on the roof. I love this place and the home my parents have created. I have realized that it would be nice to raise my family sort of close to my parents. Mission accomplished, Andrew fell in love with Florida.