The South Meets The Midwest

This post is more for my immediate family of three than for sharing, but, alas, this has become my family journal.  I find myself thinking more and more about who Palmer will become.  What kind of man will he be?  Will he mirror our morals and values?  Will he say "yes, ma'am" and "no sir"?  Will he fall asleep in the middle of his prayers like I do every night?  Then I think the outcome to these questions rests in Pete and my ability to be good parents.  And then I think, "Woah...Palmer has parents who come from two really different places!"  While most people think of Florida as Disney World and Miami Beach, those from the South will admit North Florida is lovingly referred to as South Georgia.  If anyone doubts that, I welcome you to visit my hometown of Bushnell.  And on your way you should take a quick stop in Wakulla, Micanopy, Palatka, and don't forget Ocala where there are more horses than people.  It's about a 20 minute drive from my hometown and where I first went line dancing in high school.  Chicago almost seemed like a fake city to me.  More of a movie set than a place where people actually live.  I remember the first time I left Bushnell and realized that not everyone lives on multiple acres.  People lived on 1/4 acre lots...where on earth did they keep their cows?  Where were the horse stalls?  I was shocked to learn that the majority of people did not have experiences waking at 5:30am to bottle feed baby calves if their momma didn't make it through labor.  It took me many years to realize my childhood was a blessing.  On EVERY family roadtrip I would dreamily look out the window as the city of Atlanta rolled by and I would swear to high heaven that I WOULD live in the city one day.  I would take an elevator to my office and wear high heels that clicked down the sidewalk as I window shopped down some glitzy street.  When freedom was at my fingertips I found myself dipping my toes into city life and then quickly clamoring back to the country.  I never made it far until life pushed me into a new career in corporate America.  There I met Pete (thank you, Life) and learned how to play in the city while keeping my country roots.  I still feel far more comfortable at a bon fire than at a black tie dinner.  And I will still be amazed at every event we attend where there is dancing and NOT ONE song comes on that people know how to line dance to.  I always find myself ambitiously thinking I should try and do a simple one for everyone to catch on to, but then look around at the loafers on the feet instead of cowboy boots and think better of it :)

I love that Palmer will have the best of both worlds.  I like to think he will be comfortable in all settings.  Whether my dad recruits him to bail hay one summer or Pete asks him to be his partner in a member-guest golf tournament, I hope he will enjoy it all.

And just for Palmer, I wanted to highlight the places where his mom and dad come from:

Sumter County Courthouse {best place to sit and watch fireworks} | Dade Battlefield Park {enjoy the annual reenactment of the battle that started the second Seminole War} | Livestock Auction {where you go when you need to sell your mean donkey or annoying goat!} | Webster Flea Market {the only place to be on Monday to scour the miles of vendors and then lunch at the infamous Speckled Butter Bean

Annual Fall Festival Greased Pig Contest | Mossy Oaks

Chicago Sky Line meets Lake Michigan | City of Chicago {art, theatre,culture galore!}

Sunset Ridge {where Pete was a caddy} | Golf {Pete’s love & name of town he lived in} 

The Cubs {emblem that now graces my bank card and checks} | Fenway Park {where Pete took me to my first rooftop Cubbies game}