New friends, new home, new life! Fourth of July in Jacksonville...

Day 7-
Really don't have much to say for Day 7!  Early in the morning Josh and I took the girls swimming and Babs watched Jasper.

I met a really sweet lady poolside who I am praying my children refrain from calling a man, (she is bald.) Bay has no filter though and Pip is sort of young so we shall see....so far no comments!  She gave me a lot of great info on the area and I found out we live in a great area, and that Bay may be in the district of an awesome school system.  I was given the ins and outs of where to go and what to do on the fourth....the biggest advice, STAY HOME.  Downtown is mayhem, JAX beach is kinda of trashy and overcrowded, kids are too young for fireworks anyway.  At least to young for not easily accessible fireworks, and at a reasonable hour.  All were after 10.  We decided to think about it and wait for my father in law to arrive, then we would decide.
Roger arrived from his visit in Indiana and Kentucky, to two very happy granddaughters.  They were thrilled to see him again and did not stop talking from the moment they saw him.  We decided that our fourth of July plans would be to stay at home, poolside, doing what we do best, grilling meat.  We then invited Joe Silvia's ( friend of Barbara and Roger and a man I recall from the yacht club) granddaughter to our house for fourth of July cookout.  After all she had done a lot to look into places for us, and has filled me on all the local news!  When she agreed to come I was more than thrilled to have company.  I love our new home, but leaving my three best friends, Shannon, Kacy and Heather, have put a void in my life I will need to try to fill, not replace, but fill none the less...I laughed when in exasperation she wrote me in a text message, "oh em gee woman".  I knew we would do well as friends,  not to mention she loves Twilight, and is an aspiring early childhood major.  I laughed even harder when I was told that her older daughter, (13) would only be joining her if she had "nothing cooler to do".  Is this what I have to look forward to with two girls!!  With the plans in place we mainly played today poolside.  No sunburns yet...but stay tuned for the fourth.  Who knows!
DAY 8-
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!
What a great day to look forward to.  The only day of the year that you can start drinking at 8 am and no one looks at you funny.  No I didn't start but there were people poolside having a great time from dawn to dusk!  We started the day with a trip to the base, the girls loved seeing the planes and the water park (even if it was closed).  We returned for a swim in the pool and awaited our guests Linda and her daughter Krysten.  The regulars were to be served, patented patties, hot dogs and turkey sausage...spicy of course.  Linda arrived with corn on the cob, beans, a veggie platter and fruit!  My kinda girl!  I could hear the hesitation in her text messages when I said we eat Paleo, she did a great job trying to maintain that in her food selections.  ( Originally was going to bring pasta salad).  Linda brought her eleven year old daughter Krysten with her and I have to say we all hit it off right away!  No awkward silences, no weird moments, just lots of laughs, story telling, information on the area, and background info.  Linda and Christen sure do have a lot in common; both born and bred fall river in the same hospital mind you, both adopted, same skin tone and likeness, same rough upbringing, same taste in music, books and style.  Both Portagee's who dream about chourico and seafood.  (She even filled me in on how to buy chourico here in Jax!)  To repeat Josh's words again, " I don't know if I can handle two Christen's..."

Truth be told, this lady is going to make the move a lot easier.  I can not replace any of the love I have for my friend or family back home, but making new friends is a definite must if I am to keep my sanity. :)
Krysten and Baleigh became best friends ( according to Baleigh) and splashed around the pool.  About five or six college age or older boys and their girlfriends were poolside with a boom box, grilling materials, beer and pool toys.  Baleigh was more than happy to ask them to use their toys, and they were more than happy to oblige!  They all played with her and monitored her swimming progress in awe!  They couldn't believe she was four...neither can I.  Linda and I sat in the shallow end gabbing away about the area and our pasts. We giggled about how we felt like two people on a blind date.  Her grandmother bev had "set us up", so to speak and was thrilled that we were going to be "new best friends".   Ummm... thanks Bev ;)  Grilling commenced on my husbands end, and Roger and Barbara watched baby Jasper while Pippy took a nap.  It was a fantastic day that ended all too quickly.  Josh starts his new job first thing in the morning so the evening ended at 530 so we could get our evening routine going.  A very successful and fun first fourth of July in JAX and thank you Linda for coming and making this transition that much easier!  Happy INDEPENDENCE day!