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19 June 2014

may I have the envelope, please?

On Saint Patrick's Day 2011 Simon, Simon's dad, Julia, in utero Sebastian, and I joined Simon's med school class for a big Match Day ceremony in Wichita. Each student drew a number and one by one walked down the auditorium steps to open and read their match results to their classmates and families. Some people were ecstatic with their news while others were visibly stunned and a little bit upset because their envelope hadn't contained the program they'd been hoping for. The whole thing seems a little bit cruel to me but last I checked my musty resume didn't say a thing about experience as Match Day Master of Ceremonies so I'll just keep my commoner mouth shut for now. Simon drew a high number and we had to wait for quite a bit while wrestling baby J and I chewed on my cuticles because nervous habits die hard. When he finally walked down and read, "St. Louis!" I smiled and breathed a huge sigh of relief because that had been our first choice and we were really hoping the hospital had agreed. Then we all went out for Greek food and eventually went home to start scouring the internet for houses since we had three and a half months before Simon started his intern year of residency.

Fast forward three years, three months, and one day to yesterday. I scrambled all morning to get the kids ready, time Theo's morning nap and Phoebe's feedings appropriately, and get myself showered and dressed. We met Simon a little after 11 while he had a window of time between patients in clinic.


He held the big kids' hands while I pushed the smaller Pattons in the stroller through the labrynth that is the hospital basement hallways. We met Simon's program directors in between their surgeries in a little tiny room around the corner from the operating rooms equipped with a computer, a few stools, some surgical instruments and a bowl full of speculums (why?!). The stroller barely fit and the big kids were shy and confused as to why we weren't dining on cafeteria fries - the usual purpose of our visits to see Dad.

Simon logged onto the computer, pulled up his results and happily exclaimed, "Florida!!" while I smiled and breathed a sigh of relief because that had been our first choice for fellowship.


Simon's boss taking a photo of the results while Simon gets his permagrin on.

The kids were thrilled ...


especially Theo's leg.

And side note: if anyone wants to sneak in and steal that pink plastic collar Julia insists on wearing EVERYWHERE ... I'd be infatuated with you forever. 

We hired a sitter for later that night and went out to celebrate Simon's feat ...

drunk.







just kidding.

Good day! I'm so proud of Simon. It was always a possibility that he wouldn't match because there are plenty of people that don't. Anyway, let me continue my dramatic retelling of the events with a little bit of a lengthy metaphor. Thank you. Your generosity is the bomb.

Let's say that residency is a marathon because it is. Yesterday felt like some kind soul threw us a monster blue Gatorade to get us through the remainder of the race. Well, that's a little trite, Grace. I know! It is. It's awful but it's true. These last three years have been a lot more trying than the Grace on Match Day 2011 had ever ever anticipated and to see that there is a big fat sunny light at the end of the four year hell tunnel was downright marvelous. Simon's hours will be SO much better, I have some good friends already living in Tampa, and Simon's hours will be SO much better.

One more year to go. And in the mean time we'll be little engining our way through fourth year because we think we can, we think we can. And we will.

I hope.

And look out, Tampa. In July of 2015 the Pattons are coming for you. Get excited because we most certainly are!

:)

103 comments:

  1. Congratulations, Pattons! What an amazing blessing to have the first choice twice -- Looking forward to following your adventures to the Sunshine State!

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  2. What wonderful news!!! Congrats to all of you - what a great place to be :)

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  3. I'm so happy you got your first choice! You'll have the best time in Tampa, it's the best!!

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  4. Congratulations, Simon! Well done!

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  5. So freakin' happy for you guys. And think of all the sun! :-D

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  6. So jealous! I've always wanted to live in Florida! Congrats!!!

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  7. YAY!!!! Congrats to Simon and all the Pattons! So happy for you. Here's to lights at the end of the tunnel!

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  8. Wow! Yay Simon and Grace! Yay for good news and only(?) a year to go!

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  9. Yay Pattons! Can't wait to follow your adventures in Florida!

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  10. Awesome! Florida is a great place to live!

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  11. Congratulations and welcome to the Sunshine State!! :-)

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  12. Congratulations!! Why am I so excited for a stranger?? I can't help it!

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  13. yay!!!!! so excited for yall!! go simace, go!

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  14. Congratulations, Grace! It will be a lot less dark of winter for ye now! I am so happy for you all. :)

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  15. Hooray, congrats to Simon and the rest of The Camp! NO MORE WINTERS!

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  16. Yay! Florida is a great place :)

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  17. Congrats! First choice twice means you're doing something right for sure!
    So, you spend one year there and then... he's done and looking for a job? Back to St. Louis? Maybe a "this is how you become a dr." primer post for us non-medical folks?

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    1. haha no it's a three year deal in Tampa and then yes! real job!!! :)

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  18. Congratulations!! How exciting for you guys! Praying for you as you walk through this next year!

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  19. Hoe ray for warmer weather!!! Now all you have to worry about his hurricanes! ;)

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  21. Yay! I'm just looking forward to the 2 year research "break" my hubby will be doing for the next two years, the final 3 years of surgery residency can WAIT, thank you very much :)

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  22. Congratulations! Good for the Patton family! And you've escaped terrible winters, hooray! Sincerely, A Bostonian

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  23. So very happy for you guys! That's wonderful news! And having friends in the area will be so nice.

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  24. How wonderful that you got your first choice! Good news, indeed. And I think Florida sounds wonderful. Hooray for the Pattons.

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  25. Yay! Congrats! Now you won't have to be jealous of the life you imagine I led down there. ;) Although, after the third tornado warning in as many days (always interrupting the kids' sleep!!!) I'm about ready to join you for the beaches and good sushi.

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  26. Congratulations!!!!!!! I definitely know the feeling... Will did not match first time around because he did not apply to enough programs. This year: total bliss, and now we're now a few days away from him starting his emergency medicine residency in PA. I am so thrilled for y'all!! YAY PATTON FAMILY!!! And a big high five for you Grace, for taking care of the family in such an amazing, inspiring way. I hope I can hold it together the way you do during residency. Oh, and fist bump to Simon. :)

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    1. Where in PA? We're here at the tail end of school (MS4) and maybe-possibly-hoping to match here, too for IM residency!

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  27. thank GOD it's somewhere warm, so happy for you guys!!

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  28. Welcome to Tampa.....buenvenidos a Tampa!! That's how the song goes right?

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  29. Huge congrats Grace!!! That sounds so awesome!!!

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  30. Congrats! So exciting that he got his first choice. :-) Can't wait for tales from the sunshine state.

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  31. Nooooooo!!!!!! You can't leave St. Louis!!!

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  32. This is awesome! And warm! And awesome! Congratulations Pattons!

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  33. Yay for you guys - at least 3 years of warm weather! Nice weather somehow just makes all the difference in life : )

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  34. Congrats! That's great!

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  35. Congratulations! You're going to love the lack of snow. :) Can't wait to read about the Patton adventures.

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  36. I actually thought about this the other morning. Is that weird? Guess I'm invested in where you go too..... Florida! Congrats!! I have friends that loooove it there so hopefully you do too!

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  37. Congrats!!! I am so excited for you guys- warm weather and better hours!!!

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  38. Congratulations! I would happily follow my husband to Florida too if he would just freakin' look for a job there. So happy you got your first choice! Pretty sure I'll be hating pretty hard come winter of 2015-16 when I'm loading up the woodstove and you're posting sunny pictures. Be sure to snag a place with a guest room would ya?

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  39. Amazing amazing amazing news!!! Congrats!!

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  40. Yeah!!!!!!!! I'm in Tampa! Seriously email me if you need any recs at all! (I'm a Nurse Practitioner in Pediatric Cardiology and live in the area :-)

    meetatthebarre@gmail.com

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  41. Best news ever. Let me know if I can help (:

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  42. Great news! Congratulations!

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  43. That's awesome! So happy for you all. Maybe you can swing through the ATL on your way....! :)

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  44. That is wonderful!! So happy you got your first choice and that you will be warm ALL year round!! LOL! Blessings and Grace to you both on this next chapter in your grand adventure together. Go Patton's Go!!

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  46. I'm so glad you got your first choice. I don't know if I could move there but I do love my southern temperatures so I get that piece of it!

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  47. Welcome to Florida!!!! We're in Tallahassee not Tampa. But I bet you all will love it there! Just not in June, July, August, or September :)

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  48. Congratulations!! So happy for you - I have many friends just finishing their first year of med school, so they still have the long trek ahead.

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  49. Congratulations!! This is wonderful. So happy for you all. :)

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  50. Congrats! That is all very exciting!! :) so happy for Simon and you all! Florida sounds lovely.

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  51. Put your UGGS (are those out?) away and break out the zinc oxide!!! Very happy for all parties in the Patton household!

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  52. That's awesome that Simon's assignment is the one you were hoping for! …Maybe I've read too many young adult dystopia novels in the last couple years (Divergent much?), but when I read "Match Day" all I could think was that your fate was in the authorities hands all this time and now you know their plans and come next July you'll be leading a revolution. It's not you, it's me =) Congratulations!!

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  53. Congrats to Simon (and you, because I know how hard you work to support him!)!!

    If it helps, fourth year was BY FAR the best year of residency. Third year was hell, and fourth year made up for it.

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  54. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Congratulations!!! There's actually a chance I might visit you out there. ;)

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  55. Congratulations, Pattons! Well done, Simon! I'm at the end of my second year, taking my Step 1 in 4 days. Your blog has been one my most welcome (and hilarious) study breaks along the way. Nice to see people coming out on the other side of all this craziness!

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  56. so happy for you! florida will be amazing. congrats to simon (and all the pattons!) well deserved!

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  57. Great news!! Hopefully this last year will fly by for you:)

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  58. Congrats!! Tampa is the good part Florida, too.

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  59. This is Marya's friend Meghan (the one who apparently told you about her fifth baby) . . . We are happy to be welcoming you to Tampa! If you need anything, let us know!

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  60. Congrats Pattons! How exciting!!! :)

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  61. Yay!!!!! Congratulations! Tampa sounds like the perfect place for y'alls next stop :)

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  62. Congratulations!!! Julia's statement piece is a must of the season. I should try to get one for myself ;-)

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  63. What a relief for all of you to know where you are going. And your first choice!

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  64. I'm usually a big ole lurker, but I just had to pop in and say congratulations! I would probably melt in the Tampa humidity, but I suddenly have visions of all you Pattons looking gloriously tan and taking up surfing (even though I don't think people surf on the bay thanks to the laws of nature and physics and what-not.), but really I am so glad that you will have your man around more and that he got his first choice. High fives all around.

    PS. I am married to a chef/restaurant owner, which has very similar hours but without all the noble saving of lives, so naturally I complain about it all the time. I've been trying to channel some of your resiliency and good humor lately, and while I am totally failing, I should probably say thank you for the inspiration. ;)

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  65. Aw, my fourth child was born on St. Patrick's Day of 2011. A great day, indeed. Congratulations to your family!

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  66. Woohoo. Awesome news! Congratulations!

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  67. Congratulations Simon and family!

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  68. Yay congratulations!! Such a relief to get your first choice :)

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  69. Mazel Tov! Hope you guys really enjoy being in Tampa.

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  70. Congratulations!! I'm glad you'll be by some close friends- that can make all the difference! Glad you got a night out too, I'm sure it was much needed :)

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  71. Yay Tampa-- you're definitely in for some better winters! I am from Tampa and live in GA now, so we visit FL still to see family. Maybe one day we can meet up :) Congrats on getting what you guys wanted! :)

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  72. Ah! The Pattons are coming to Florida. I am in Miami, just a few hours away. You will love winters and the sun. Living close to the water is also amazing. Congratulations!

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  73. Congrats to you and Simon! What a relief for you guys!

    I am seriously in awe of you, as you approach fellowship with your four beautiful kidlets. Because me? I'm dyyyyyying already and we're only MS4 and with only one (colicky! "sensitive"! but still, just one) child. I'm loving the blue gatorade analogy. As I ran the Pittsburgh half marathon this year, kind souls lined up on the streets to hand runners beer... and I gratefully accepted the beer (carbs? yes). So, what I'm saying is, in this medical life analogy, definitely beer needs to be part of the equation.

    Cheers to Tampa!

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  74. Congrats!! Yay for Florida!!! (coming from a MInnesota mom who nearly lost her mind this winter :)

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  75. You are going to LOVE,LOVE,LOVE raising young children in Florida. When I was 13 my parents moved us from Connecticut to Florida and at the time my siblings were 1, 2 1/2 and 3 1/2. Needless to tell you, my mother was busy. She always said the best part of that move was the first winter when she didn't have to put on and take off endless numbers of boots, mittens, snow pants, etc. She could just send everyone out to play! Just be sure and get a house with a fenced back yard and you will be living the dream!!! Thanks for bringing so many precious souls into the world. God Bless.

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  76. Congrats!! Tampa General? My cousin is a L&D nurse there!

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  77. Congratulations! I have drs in the family and matching and residency seem like very cruel forms of punishment to me.

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  78. I found your blog through House Unseen and this is my first comment. Congratulations on Tampa! I live just south and move here when my kids were little. Florida is a great place to raise kids. Also, two of my cousins went to med school and did their residencies in Tampa (USF/TGH). Best of luck!

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  79. Hi Grace! I found your blog a few months ago through a friend's post and I love it! I'm from Florida and my husband and I moved back to the Tampa area two years ago. We're now relocating for his job but just wanted to say that it's a great place to have kids! I'm sure you're going to love the weather, that's my favorite part with my daughter, we get to be outside all year round.

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  80. Yay! Congratulations, Pattons!
    I am so jealous. Tampa/St Pete is my favorite FL city. (well I haven't been to Miami.. but I am pretty sure I will still like Tampa/St. Pete over Miami!)

    I am still dreaming maybe someday i can move down there.... or visit you all! (ha!)
    congrats again.

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  81. Awesome giveaway! Love the mug!!

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  82. Congrats, Simon! So, maybe you said this already, but how long will you be in FL for?

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  83. Welcome to our sunny little slice of heaven! I live in St. Petersburg and look forward to reading about your move! See you at the beach (or the mall!)

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  84. I'm glad you got the match you wished for, congratulations!

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  85. Congrats! Beaches sound so nice to us mid westerners!

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  86. Congratulations that is wonderful! HUGE accomplishment!

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  87. Yay for Dr Patton! A friend from high school has a wonderful dance school in the Tampa area - you can look it up on facebook under TADA - Theatre Arts & Dance Alliance. Her name is Mitsie Kraack. You need to get Julia in a good theatre/dance program because she needs to channel that creative energy somewhere! The Kraack family is legendary in my hometown for theatre and just really, really good people.

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  88. Congrats!! So happy for you!!!

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  89. Congrats! I grew up in Tampa and will hopefully be moving back next Spring. See ya there!

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  90. Congrats to Simon and the Patton fam! Seems like Tampa weather will be nice and not-cold for you... I shall miss your "Is winter over yet?!??!?" posts because they are some of my favs (really, truly!).

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  91. Yay for getting what you want! Yay for getting away from the cold! Yay, Yay, YAY!!!

    Side note, what kind of double stroller is Theo's leg peeking out from? Baby #2 is due in August and I really don't want a double wide stroller...

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  92. Congratulations on the wonderful news! It's embarrassing how many times I checked your blog while waiting for you to post this:).

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  93. Woo! Congrats! I was just talking to my fiance about match day and the weirdness of being around everyone if you're upset about your match ... it's still a year and a half away, but it gives me anxiety just thinking about it. Definitely nice to see that it can work out twice!

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  94. Congratulations! I was selfishly hoping you'd come to Birmingham, but I'm so glad you got your first choice! I WAS going to help you find a house here that has a working doorbell, but now you're on your own ... ;-)

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  95. So happy for you, Grace!! Plenty of sun and no winters. Yay!!! Can't wait for you to begin chronicling that new adventure!!!

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  96. I'm late to the party, but congratulations! Tampa was our first choice too for Ryan's work (he works for Southwest Airlines). We ended up in Raleigh, which we've grown to love, but sunny Florida still sounds lovely.

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  97. Congratulations! Yay for you guys.=)

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