Visitors. And other ramblings.

We had visitors last week. I was terrible and didn't take a single picture.

But luckily those visitors are on their way again this weekend! So pictures will come this time!

The one and only, Hanna and Sandy. The kids are stoked. And so am I. 

Living by family is so much fun. Yesterday I got a visit from my Aunt Linda, and my cousin Heather. We chatted, and then hit a movie, a little girls night! I think I can get used to this. 

Nothing is better than family.

I need to remember that when I'm having my moments of missing the Midwest.

When the opportunity came to us to move out west, back towards family, I was beyond excited. I really didn't think I would give a second chance to leaving the Midwest. Boy was I wrong.

I have many moments where I am home sick. Home sick for the Midwest. Really?! Oh yes. I see pictures, here songs, and I immediately tear up, and have to bite my lip to not burst out crying.

(Lake in Minnesota)

I asked my mom the other day if she felt the same way when leaving Mexico. 

We lived there for nearly 10 years. Most of my childhood. When we left there, we were moving back by family. My mom didn't get to see family near as often as I have. So surely she was ecstatic to move home right? She made me feel better when she said it was SO hard.

She says there is moments when she still misses it.

She misses people, landscapes, activities, but what is hard when leaving a place you've been for so long, is leaving behind all the memories.

 Really my life with Ryan is the Midwest. We started our lives together in Indiana.

We went through a lot there, and gained our other family.

And we still consider them family. :)

Although Chicago was not the place for us, and a place I wanted to raise my children, I have very fond memories of living there. It's an amazing city. Traffic not so much, but it has so much to offer.

I am so exited that I get to go back and run it's streets in October!

Then Minnesota. Man I didn't love the winters, but other than that it was a great place.

I used to think that the Midwest was ugly, flat and really boring. Every time we would drive out to Utah and come up on the mountains, it would take my breath away.

Now whenever I am watching TV, and they show cornfields, or the Mississippi, I miss it. It takes my breath away. I don't think I ever thought I would say I would miss the landscape of the flatland's, but I do. Don't get me wrong, I still love the mountains. Running the other morning and smelling fresh clean mountain air was a piece of heaven.

My mom said that there are things she sorely misses about her time in Mexico. But there are things in Alaska, that she didn't have there, and that is what is great. There are things that are great no matter where you live. And I am going to find those things here. So that when, or if we ever move, I will miss it here too.
P.S. This is my 500th post. 
Wow. Have I really been blogging that long?! I think it needs a party:)