God's Country

I have lived in Iowa for 18 years now. My family moved to Sioux City when I was 5 from Miami, Fl. I'll never forget standing outside my cousin's house pouting and wishing we weren't leaving. Now, due to my semi-insane and sometimes ambivalent love for winter, I am SO glad we didn't stay in the sunshine (aka so humid I could die) state--no offense cousins! 

When my parents moved to Lee's Summit, MO (outside KC) shortly after dropping me off in Ames, I couldn't help but be slightly thrilled. After 13 years in the same city and same house and same boring state, I was so ready to move to the bigger city I'd always envisioned myself in. I was by no means a "country girl", and just knew I was destined to move to New York City after graduation and live á la Carrie Bradshaw.

Sometimes I think that there should be a limit to how many times your parents can say "I told you so." It seems that the older that I get, however, the limit does not exist--cue Mean Girls GIF. So mother, as you sit there on your horizon-broadening-throne, I hope--and know you'll prove me wrong--that this is one of the last times I'll have to say this, "you were right."  And yes, that's as loudly as I can say that without hurting my pride. 

You see, every time I expressed my desire to be far away from home living the ultimate single girl life in some fabulous city, my mother reminded me that a time will come that I won't feel that way, and that that dream most likely won't happen. And sure enough, now that I've graduated, I'm not "the ultimate single girl", and I'm moving closer to home. 45 minutes away to be exact. And you want to know the irony of this whole situation? I'm SAD! I'm truly completely 100% upset that I'm leaving Iowa. (My 17 year old self is sitting here saying "ummm...excuhUSE me?? What is wrong with you?")

As my best friend Tabitha and I drove through the northern part of Ames this past weekend looking at houses we determined brain surgeons live in, I couldn't help but gaze longingly at the beautifully flat fields we passed by. The closer I get to leaving Iowa, the more I secretely wish my boyfriend was a farmer and not an Aero E major telling me "there are no good jobs in Iowa for what I want to do". (Sorry Austin! :) ). But it's true! I long to be a country girl. I so desperately want to be surrounded by never-ending corn fields and blue skies. I crave the idea of a house in the country surrounded by nothing but family and animals and God's good earth.  

I could go on about the beauty of Iowa that it seems only true Iowans will really appreciate, but it's not just the land that amazes me, it's the people too. See, growing up in Iowa shaped my character in a way I'll never forget. Iowans are hard working and truly value this land that God gave us. They're so very friendly and down to earth. Compassionate. Patient (though maybe I'll need to live here another 20 years to fully develop that trait ;) ). And maybe I'm generalizing, and I'm surely not saying other places don't have people like this either, but I'm just proud of where I'm from. 

It's too bad that it takes leaving a place to truly appreciate it. It's hard to believe I have 3.5 weeks left in a place I've known almost all my life. And it's not so hard to believe I can't write a post without getting all emotional, so I'll leave it with a quote from a Raygun shirt I should've purchased when I had the chance. "Iowans: the few, the proud, the extremely attractive."