florida.

on sunday, i flew BY MYSELF (for the first time) from nashville to jacksonville. basically, since i wasn't moving, i wasn't driving. and since i wasn't driving, i had to buy plane tickets. i got on my parents' flight to nashville, but home from nashville? that would cost more than my flights to jacksonville and home from jacksonville. combined. so, hello extended vacation.

unfortunately, i brought the rain with me. each afternoon is has rained. and when it rains in florida, it rains. or, as my aunt says, it buckets. and you don't want to do anything except sit inside next to the window and watch it. but the other thing about florida rain is that it lasts maybe 20 minutes and then it goes away. but these past few afternoons, it's been like that, except over and over. hot and sunny, then dark and buckets. repeat.

the mornings were lovely though. we went out to the beach or walked around downtown (on amelia island) and it was awesome. it was a good mix of doing something and doing nothing (because i'm the kind of person who is okay with doing nothing. unlike my mom, who will tell you relaxing is "boring") while on vacation. it was much needed and it was great to see my two aunts that live down there.

the trip back home was not exciting because one) i was going home, which feels less like home and more like the place where my people are. i've missed the people, not the place. and two) i had the worst flight from jacksonville to baltimore, which included lots of turbulence that caused the flight attendant to have to sit in the aisle until the plane was steady enough to find her seat and a landing that almost made me pee my pants.

but i made it, and i actually got to witness the homecoming of some military (army?) men and women returning from afghanistan at the airport. so sweet. it reminded me of this quote from "extremely loud & incredibly close," which is so accurate. there is nothing quite like the look of anticipation on the faces of those who are waiting, only a few more minutes, for their people to return from war.