It's great to be out of the cold and enjoying the warmth of the south. I'm working at a family owned sporting goods store here, which I love, while Brian is going to school to get his masters in plants and weeds (Agronomy, I guess it's officially called). Don't ask me to give more detail on that, I just smile and nod when he starts talking about it. "Thats a nice healthy monoculture of Tifway bermuda grass..." These are the sorts of things I hear all the time. But he absolutely loves it, so I guess that's all that really matters. We'll be here about another 2 years and some odd months- which I am pretty excited about. I see living out here as an adventure... one I don't mind having as long as it ends back in California! We are really happy to be out here. We are loving the weather, the people, everyone in the south is so friendly! We are especially loving the ward out here! It really does feel like home away from home. I have never been in a more friendly ward- I love it.
We already have made lots of friends who we have lots in common with, since most everyone in our ward is a starving student just like us! Since the church in the south is small, they keep us very busy. I am assigned to help out on the enrichment committee, the compassionate service committee, I'm a visiting teaching supervisor, and Brian and I are over ward choir nursery (which is really like 20 kids anywhere from ages 1 to 12- it's crazy... every week there are several wrestling matches we have to break up...) and we are in the nursery. We come home from church on Sundays wondering if the Sabbath is really a day of rest, but we love it.
It is really a lot of fun. Our favorite thing in Florida is hands down, Disneyworld. Since we are such Disneyland fans, we are in heaven here. Disneyworld is just like Disneyland, but on major steroids. We try to get down there as much as possible- it is definitely our happy place. We were lucky to have my parents out here last month to play with us and spoil us, and even go to Disneyworld with us! It was so fun! I was so glad to have them come out, especially since we can't make it home for Christmas this year because of the price of airline tickets. We look forward to more visits from them, and everyone else who might come out our way (come visit us!!! That means you too sisters!)We are really happy out here, but of course we miss all of you, and hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas! We'll be thinking about you this holiday season! Love you all bunches!Rachel
