Only in Small Town Iowa

One of the thoughts that's been on my mind ever since I decided to move back to my hometown has been 'what will I do to stay busy?'. Living in a college town the last six years has spoiled me because there was always something to do and always someone around to ask to go. Well, I've been here three weeks and haven't been at a loss for things to do yet. In fact, I don't think I've even had one single night to just sit home and relax a bit! And today, I found out about something that just made me excited for next weekend....and made me say 'only in small town Iowa'.

There's this lady, Karen, who takes the time each week to collect all the things going on in the community (everything from blood drives to prayer meetings to community events) and puts them all in one place...an email she sends to who knows how many hundred people. I love this thing!! There are things I would never in a million years hear about otherwise.

Well today, she made a note about a community appreciation hosted next Friday by an agricultural company based in my hometown. They're hosting a free dinner and concert...and the concert is one of my favorite bands from college- The Nadas. Can you believe it...a free concert by The Nadas in my hometown!! And to top it all off...everyone also gets a free dozen eggs!! Only in Iowa would you go to an event and they are giving everyone a carton of eggs!

Gotta love it. I'm so glad to be home!

It's That Time of Year

The nights are chilly and the mornings are brisk. That can only mean one thing....fall is just around the corner. And it's a tight race between spring and fall to determine which is my favorite season. But IF I really had to choose, I think it would be fall. The smell of harvest, the sound of corn dryers on bins, tractors and combines running through the fields, football games and who could forget...trail rides to take in the beauty of fall color. So I realize there isn't any fall color yet, but I'm already getting excited about our October weekend with our horse friends. It's a weekend of lots of hours in the saddle, laughs and chats around the campfire, and just some good old fashion quality time with Mom.

Now that I'm back home, I'll get to ride a lot more. We've already been out three times in the two weeks I've been here! We're really fortunate to have a great trail system just 20 miles away and then another set about 40 miles away. It makes a great getaway on a Sunday afternoon. There's just something peaceful about the sound of leather creaking and your horses hooves hitting the trail bed.

They Leave the Light On

I've been in Iowa now for 10 days. And truthfully, it's bittersweet. I miss my friends and I miss Athens, but I am so excited to finally be home. When I left Athens at 10am last Friday, I wondered if I could make the 16 hour drive based on my exhaustion level. But I made the drive relatively easy and I think it was because there was something in my heart pulling me home. I got to Mom and Dad's about 2am...as I stepped out of the car I could hear the crickets and cows, could smell the fresh air, and felt the chill of the coming fall. There is just something I love about the country and forever the sights, smells and sounds will stir my inner soul.

This transition will in no way be easy, but the challenge has a great reward. I've already been trail riding with my mom, looking at calves with my dad, playing with my niece and reconnecting with friends at the Iowa State Fair. All things that have helped reassure me that I'm finally 'home'.

A Tribute to The A-town Crowd

When I went to Athens six years ago, one of my main objectives was to 'not be so busy making a living that I forgot to make a life'. Well, part of that constituted having friends. I know that sounds crazy...but in my first eight years of the working world, my life was so full of work that I didn't really have many people that lived in the same town and were called friends. So this was a major deal. I didn't really know where they were going to come from, but I was going to have friends. In school and college it was always easy because you were surrounded by people that had the same interests as you. Living in a college town when you are 30 is a bit different. I still laugh that one of my students called me after a few months in Athens. He asked how I was coming on my friend goal and if I had made any friends yet. I said "yes." And he quickly responded, "name them." Then he proceeded to clarify if they were really friends...the kind you could call right this minute and talk to, ask to go to a movie, etc. or were they simply people more like 'acquaintances'. I guess his challenge inspired me because over the last six years, I've been blessed to have some great friends.

Moving this past week was really hard because I left behind several people that I really care about and who have made such an impression on my life. I know that we'll keep in touch for a bit but that over time the ties will fade, they always do. But I also know that there will always be a special place in my heart for this group of people because they have truly impacted me and helped me to grow into who I am. I've moved a lot and it's never been this hard; I guess that's when you know you really have Friends.