10. the vast plains and wide open view. chris and i comment on the sense of calm and clear headedness that we get immediately when our plane lands and we step outside. there is nothing like it. wide open fields of grain blowing in the wind. beautiful.
9. the small town feeling where "everybody knows your name." ok, this isn't quite true anymore. i guess i am too old for everyone to know exactly which child i am, but everyone certainly knows which family i come from. love that and the questions that follow as people want to hear what i've done with my life.
8. the bright blue skies that stay bright until almost 10 PM. coming from ma where it gets dark in the summer around 8, this is incredible. now, if only i had a life that took advantage of the extended hours of daylight??
7. 0 to low humidity. love it, love it, love it. it can be 90 degrees but it is fabulous--not like ma at all.
6. sense of security. kids can play outside without being attached to an adult. it is amazing. i love taking the girls to the park and actually feeling okay about claire running ahead of me to the next slide, etc. at home i tend to get paranoid the minute she escapes from my view for a second or when she isn't within an arms reach of me.
5. i love shopping at my favorite spots that are not on the east coast. i always find some great things.
4. i love the friendly people. north dakotans are good, kind hearted, hard working people. growing up, i sort of took that for granted and assumed people were like this everywhere. so not true. there is nothing like going into a store and having a clerk who says nothing to you. this actually happened to me in ma--that being said, i've met my share of wonderfully outgoing people in ma too. there is just something about being raised here that we are taught to work hard for what we want in life and treat people well along the way to the top. i miss that. as i've been away, i've watched people take the easy way and wonder why their life sucks and they're broke and jobless. hello??!! i wonder?? so irritating. work hard, and do what it takes.
3. i love visiting all the places that are meaningful in my life--minot where chris and i met, bismarck where i lived, grand forks where i spent alot of time visiting chris and during my childhood. it is fun strolling down memory lane and seeing all the changes that have occurred.
2. nicole and kevin. nicole has been my best friend since we were five years old and she moved in next door. we don't talk all the time nor do we need to. when we get together it is as if we see each other everyday. i guess she is my best example of a lifelong, fantastic friend. her husband and kiddos are awesome too. i definitely wish we were still next door neighbors.
1. my family. we are close. they have been my best friends for years and despite being thousands of miles apart, still are. i love how they love my children like their own. i love how they take such good care of us and open their homes to us without question. i love how they still love us when we over stay our welcome. i love how they tolerate my kiddos' mess and touching. i love how they offer to babysit our kids and do anything for us or push themselves upon me when i am too proud to ask for help. love them and miss them terribly when we are away.
i love north dakota. no matter where i live, it will always be home.
9. the small town feeling where "everybody knows your name." ok, this isn't quite true anymore. i guess i am too old for everyone to know exactly which child i am, but everyone certainly knows which family i come from. love that and the questions that follow as people want to hear what i've done with my life.
8. the bright blue skies that stay bright until almost 10 PM. coming from ma where it gets dark in the summer around 8, this is incredible. now, if only i had a life that took advantage of the extended hours of daylight??
7. 0 to low humidity. love it, love it, love it. it can be 90 degrees but it is fabulous--not like ma at all.
6. sense of security. kids can play outside without being attached to an adult. it is amazing. i love taking the girls to the park and actually feeling okay about claire running ahead of me to the next slide, etc. at home i tend to get paranoid the minute she escapes from my view for a second or when she isn't within an arms reach of me.
5. i love shopping at my favorite spots that are not on the east coast. i always find some great things.
4. i love the friendly people. north dakotans are good, kind hearted, hard working people. growing up, i sort of took that for granted and assumed people were like this everywhere. so not true. there is nothing like going into a store and having a clerk who says nothing to you. this actually happened to me in ma--that being said, i've met my share of wonderfully outgoing people in ma too. there is just something about being raised here that we are taught to work hard for what we want in life and treat people well along the way to the top. i miss that. as i've been away, i've watched people take the easy way and wonder why their life sucks and they're broke and jobless. hello??!! i wonder?? so irritating. work hard, and do what it takes.
3. i love visiting all the places that are meaningful in my life--minot where chris and i met, bismarck where i lived, grand forks where i spent alot of time visiting chris and during my childhood. it is fun strolling down memory lane and seeing all the changes that have occurred.
2. nicole and kevin. nicole has been my best friend since we were five years old and she moved in next door. we don't talk all the time nor do we need to. when we get together it is as if we see each other everyday. i guess she is my best example of a lifelong, fantastic friend. her husband and kiddos are awesome too. i definitely wish we were still next door neighbors.
1. my family. we are close. they have been my best friends for years and despite being thousands of miles apart, still are. i love how they love my children like their own. i love how they take such good care of us and open their homes to us without question. i love how they still love us when we over stay our welcome. i love how they tolerate my kiddos' mess and touching. i love how they offer to babysit our kids and do anything for us or push themselves upon me when i am too proud to ask for help. love them and miss them terribly when we are away.
i love north dakota. no matter where i live, it will always be home.
Comments
Is this possible?