Orlando Love

As we get ready to move to Maitland, I feel compelled to take a minute to show my appreciation for The City Beautiful. Recently, I picked Reid up from his school and walked with him to Lake Eola, where we enjoyed strolling around the lake and pointing out squirrels and birds. While there, I made a promise to myself that I will give Reid opportunities throughout his childhood to know and love Orlando - especially downtown Orlando and College Park and all of the other areas that Andy and I have grown to love over the past seven years as Orlando residents.

I have lived in Orlando since my return from law school in 2010. During my first year out of law school, I lived at Uptown Place off Orange Avenue. Next, Andy and I lived in 1 Eola South in Thornton Park for about 3 years. Now, and for a few weeks more, we live in College Park. Although our zip code slightly changed between moves, we have lived in or very near downtown Orlando for the majority of our dating/engaged/married lives. So it should come as no surprise that Orlando holds a very special place in my heart. Even when we move to Maitland, we will continue to work in downtown Orlando and Reid will continue to attend daycare in downtown Orlando. Still, we will no longer be Orlando residents - a truth that is very bittersweet for me. From crossing the threshold of our apartment near Lake Eola as a married couple to buying our first home together in College Park to bringing Finn home right before my 30th birthday party and then carefully introducing newborn Reid to Finn and his (forever) first home in October 2015 - Orlando will always have a piece of my heart. Because of the many memories we have created in Orlando, "The City Beautiful" will always be beautiful to us.