Last Thursday, after an extended delay in Lexington (thanks for letting us crash, Mom!), Chet and I loaded up our two cars and set off South. We planned to take it easy on the long haul drive and split it up over three days, but then… after checking in to our motel at the end of the first leg of our trip, the movers called and said they would need to deliver our belongings early Saturday morning! I’m not a big fan of driving. And with a kitty on board I wasn’t so sure how a 12ish hour drive would go for us. But sometimes you just gotta zone in, cue up 7 million podcasts, and go the distance.

So! After a grueling final few hours through the hectic Florida highway system, we made it to our new home just as it started to rain. If the guards manning the gate at our complex hadn’t been so nice I may have finally lost my marbles at this point. One guard actually hopped in a golf cart to personally escort me to the front of our building! But the stress from the drive quickly melted away once I saw inside our new abode.

Our lovely rental apartment is a 2 bedroom/2 bath in the Kendall area of Miami. To me it’s exactly what one might imagine when asked to describe quintessential Florida housing–all tile floors and huge sliding doors. The creature comforts of a dishwasher and walk-in closet are fantastic but the piece de resistance is a HUGE screened in balcony that runs the length of the unit. Wink is as happy as a clam that he gets to roll around out there in the sunbeams. The complex itself has pools, a clubhouse straight out of the 70’s, and you can’t spit without hitting a palm tree. We are just 4 blocks from a grocery store and other shops and restaurants. Just under 5 miles from the university where Chet is working.

Basically, I’d say we did pretty well for renting the place SIGHT UNSEEN (other than a few cell phone pics). We’re settling in quite easily and I’m having fun slowly setting up, organizing, and decorating all the little nooks and crannies of our new home. WE ARE PUMPED about this place!

Anyways, I know it’s been a while since I’ve updated so thanks so much for reading! Do you know Miami (or the Kendall area) at all? I would SO appreciate any recommendations of fun things to do, good restaurants, etc. We’ve had a blast exploring and can’t wait to do more. It’s a whole new world down here!

P.S. I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of this blogging thing now that all the craziness of moving across the country, etc. has calmed down. I think I owe y’all a post about a certain question Chet popped about a month ago! I’d also love to share what podcasts got me through that monster drive, a new book I can’t put down, and much MUCH more! xoxo