Finding home, wherever you are.

Tampa. I love it. I do. But if I was to be 100% honest with you, I'd have to also admit that a part of my heart is still 1,128 miles north of here (according to Google, not my own calculations, I would've guessed it to be over 3,000, "salute, Bonjour, ay Canada) in NYC. I miss the people up there, the strangers that I talked to on the daily, the coffee shops and pastry shops and never ending sidewalks filled with some of humanities finest and funniest (and drunkest if you're walking on the sidewalks of the East Village). Whenever I start missing this, I drive downtown.  Our skyscrapers are growing in numbers down here as more and more restaurants, museums, etc are opening up their doors to the community. I priced a few, because really, why not. I could give up a backyard, easily, if it meant being in the middle of people and things to do all day. Which is weird, because when we first left NYC, all I wanted was a backyard for my kid(s)...now....meh. We'll see. I took my boy out to the Glazer Museum this weekend, but we only played around inside of it for about an hour because it was such a beautiful day outside.  We walked over to Curtis Hixon Park, which is right next to the museum, where we had a picnic on the Hillsborough River, watched the boats pass by, and chased some dirty birds, which thankfully, were never caught.

Found this little gem of a coffee shop too and was approached by 7 (yes, I really counted, I'm kind of like Rain Man sometimes with numbers) different people within the shop and on the streets about my curly haired son. "He's so cute!" "I LOVE his hair!" "Those eyes, beautiful, just like his mom!" and my personal favorite, "Need a daddy for that boy?" And just like that, it was like I was back in NYC, where inappropriateness isn't an issue, it's the norm. I laughed. It felt....like home. Whenever NYC and Tampa collide like that, it makes me happy.

I'm hoping that our downtown area only continues to attract more and more young families to it and that it'll continue to grow. And that one day, we can live within walking distance to it all, and I can have the best of all worlds: the people and pace of a downtown area, my family, and driving distance to the beach. It's been a struggle finding my sense of home, when my heart is stuck in the battle of up north vs here, but really, my heart is wherever my family is, and as long as I have them, I'm home.

Passes and Going Home

Parenting. Not easy. It's not difficult in the "oh man, how do I solve this Algebra problem, cook the perfect turducken, or solve world hunger" kind of way, more-so in the "how can I trick this thing into eating cheese puffs instead of following me into the bathroom because holyword do I need just 2 minutes alone without a sticky little (blessing from God) hand on me." My days are best described as equal parts love, manipulation, and naps. But something that also helps? Having passes to go to places that will aid in the entertainment of your child. I have passes to the Zoo, the Aquarium, and MOSI, which are all awesome, and now, thanks to my mom, I am also a pass holder at the Glazer Children's Museum in downtown Tampa. A museum in my favorite area of town, that connects to an amazing library with an awesome children's section, and that is also within walking distance of my favorite long, bay-front sidewalk for exercising on? Yes. Please. Thank you, Mom!

Turtle love at the zoo last week

Glazer Children's Museum sandbox this weekend.

Adirondack  Chairs for me to "actively watch my child learn and play" from, with a view of downtown. 

After the museum, we drove my mom past her childhood home in South Tampa. I have a few scattered memories of visiting my grandpa here in this home before he passed from Cancer. It's still standing, though all but just a tiny handful of the original homes in his neighborhood have long since been knocked down to make room for the McMansions that this area so close to Bayshore Blvd is known for. My grandpa was a small business owner of a sewing shop just off of Kennedy Blvd. I can still remember going into his shop with my sister and looking for buttons and glittery things all over his shop floors (meaning I would find them all, then my sister would order me to hand them all over to her. I think this was because she loved me). My mom told me a story this weekend that I had never heard before. She said that my grandpa loved to go to flea markets, and once while there, he bought my sister and I each feathery pins to attach to our book-bags for the first day back to school. We loved them and brought them out that night to a back-to-school skating event hosted by our church. While showing them off, another parent approached my mom and asked her why her daughters were wearing roach clips....whoops. Weed accessories are the new black? Harold Martin. He was a good man. Hardworking. Gone way too soon.

Former Martin Residence

                                                   

UGH

"In this world, you will have trouble." -John 16:33

Classic

There are often tight bonds to be found within the hearts of a daddy-daughter duo. My dad and I have always been close. He stills calls me his little girl, and one phone call or letter from him has the tendency to make me tear up like I'm 5 years old again, twirling around in my dress in the kitchen as he calls me beautiful. It broke my heart to have him come and visit me up in NYC, only to watch him walk away on the street towards his taxi(s) when the visit(s) came to an end, each time realizing that he was aging more and more, as all parents do. I'm thankful to be closer to him now. Thankful to be recreating our old daddy-daughter dates in the here and now. One of the things we used to do together when I was just a little Amy was to hit up classic car shows (and boat shows), so yesterday, we went over to one in Plant City.

Sleepy little downtown

I want this car more than I want real pants. But really, I secretly long for an old 50's (Red) Chevy Truck. One day....

Finally, these playas, playing on.

Random

Brother went back to Seattle, but not before I got these sweet shots of his jean on jean on jeanness. 

  

The Stepdad was ordained this past weekend as a Chaplain. After serving as a "Full-Bird" Colonel in the US Marines, he is now retiring his badges and serving the Lord, praying over and with those who are in their darkest hours. His service was a sweet one. 

Also spent several days this week "over the bridge" (at the beach, visiting a gf who just had a sweet baby, and then today in Downtown, ST Pete). My gas tank/wallet hates me. But it's just so nice on the other side.....

Beautiful Banyan Tree 

USF ST PETE Campus:
( I had a class on this campus during my last year at USF. I sat by the window and watched the students in the sailing classes play out on their boats in the water and daydreamed about one day taking this class as well. I  don't think I listened at all in the education class I was in that year, but I still managed an A; Imma genius. Sailing classes are still on my "to do one day" list. Dad, if you're reading this, it's only one class, to be enrolled for me in the Spring. You have not because you ask not...so....hope you hear what I'm asking....call me I love you k bye).

The Hooker Tea Company:
 (The two missing containers on the shelf are due to my order of two different blended together/brewed leaves, ova ice. Igetwhadiwant).

The Past

All morning today was spent in memories from my past. I had a great childhood-had almost everything that I could've ever wanted, including great life-long friends. The kids in my neighborhood area that I grew up with were a tad on the rocky side of life, minus one, but the kids in my church (Lake Carroll Baptist) were a different story. The bad thing was, all of these friends of mine never went to the same schools as I did growing up, so, until I earned my driver's license, I was resigned to seeing them only twice a week and on special occasions. I never had a date to my own high-school events, but to our rival high-school I did due to these friends. I could've been so much more popular had I just gotten special assignment....because popularity matters, right? This morning I went to one of these sweet friend's parents homes for a birthday party of her 4 year old son. Watching my kid swim in the exact same pool that we all grew up in was...surreal. We stood around and laughed at how far we've all come, yet how little we feel the time has passed. I guess how that's how life goes. Quickly.

The Stratton's Pool

That slide...I know every part of it by heart.

After the party, I quickly rushed to the other side of town to see another great lifelong friend that was only in town for a few hours. It's been 7 years since I have last seen Melody, my first ever Best Friend. NOTHING in this girl has changed. Her heart and her attitude/outlook on life are still just as beautiful as ever. We laughed while our parents told us stories of our growing up-mostly how poor we all were when our families were just starting out and how this caused them to raise us in ways that didn't cost much. I get it. When your kids are small and one parent stays home, it's tough financially. These are the poor years, but as I am learning, the sacrifice is well worth it. Also, apparently, I was a little whiner. Who knew......ahem.

Melzy

My mom and the Taylors

       

Family

My family members, though we are all broken and sarcastic and short, mean the world to me. We've gone through a lot together: death, disappointments, cancer, fear, fights over who took whose BONGO and/or Wrangler Jeans (ahem, BETH), divorce, moves, weddings, babies, hospital waiting rooms, losses and gains. Maybe it's because we've seen so much together that we all seem close, I'm not sure. But what I do know is that I am thankful for each and every one of the morons that God has given to me by birth.

Last week my sister had a major surgery that could have gone in many different directions. By the grace of God, she came through perfectly, and is in Houston healing as I type. 

Last Monday was my Grandmother's first birthday party in Heaven. It's still hard.

Family. You never know what a day might bring forth. My family knows this. The DeVore family knows this. So go and hug, text, or call one of your God given morons today if you can. 

Oh. My brother is in town. My brother is basically me in personality with a touch of Gene Belcher (Bobs Burgers), and in appearance he rivals Ned Flanders (The Simpsons) minus the facial hair. Got to see him tonight for dinner and I will see him again on Sunday. I love him. I'm stronger than him now, by the way. It matters.

"He's heavier than he looks Uncle David....."

"Told you so..." Thanks Dad for quickly stepping in and catching my child while I, the loving mother, took a picture instead.

Day on the Farm

Today was hot. I'm pretty sure that I drank double my body weight in water, as did my kid. I don't even want to discuss how many outfits were laundered today due to over-peeing (the kid....), dirt, and sweat. Nonetheless, sweet little day was spent on a friend's farm.

A wheel, his favorite thing, that swings. I am determined now to have one of these in our future backyard, as it made my boy smile and hush. And when I say I, I mean Scott-make us one.

'Eat this Horse, but come to us. We're wimps." 

Um...yea, Scott-I'd also like half a dozen of these Toddler holding square things built in our backyard as well....

Blog and you shall receive....

Follow suit, all else.

Thanks, Mom.