Things We Remember

Chris and I never really knew ourselves until we moved to the Pacific Northwest.

It's a fact. Once out here, we discovered a whole new life. A life that we liked. A life that we now value. A life that we, even though we didn't know it, actually spent our entire lives wishing for.

The amount of change that each of us has gone through out here is extraordinary. Physically, emotionally, spiritually... We're not the same people we were back in the Midwest.

Out here, we have access to a vast playground fully equipped with nature's very own jungle gym - rugged mountain landscapes; sprawling, untamed beaches; unending acres of old-growth forests; snowcapped peaks; hot desert lakes; a lush river gorge; and a million and one hiking trails just waiting to be explored. And, to top that off, there's the eclectic, never-a-dull-moment city of Seattle to keep us constantly entertained. Safe to say, after two years out here, we still aren't tired of it. And we probably never will be.

There are, however, times when I find my mind wandering. Wandering back. Back fifteen hundred miles, to be exact.

I have to admit, there are days when I think about the Midwest.

We haven't been back to the Midwest in over two years. Do we miss it? Not so much. But we do remember it fondly.

So, in honor of our home away from home, here are some things about the Midwest that we remember. Very fondly.

1. Humid summer nights.

2. Lightning bugs.

3. Air so cold it takes your breath away. Literally.

4. Taco John's.

5. Thunderstorms, charcoal skies, and tornado warnings.

6. Morningside. Otherwise known as God's Country.

7. Milwaukee Weiner House.

8. The prickling chill of the air conditioner against sweaty skin.

9. Pete's 20th. (Okay, that's my fond memory. Chris opts out of this one.)

10. The buzzing of Cicadas.

11. Cornfields. (Seriously.)

Iowa and Minnesota will always be a part of who we are. Chris and I will always be Midwesterners at heart. And we're proud of that. Like I said, we remember our roots very fondly.

But the Pacific Northwest? That's part of who we are now. It's who we were. Who we've become. And who we're becoming.
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"This is my corn. You people are guests in my corn."
-- Ray Kinsella (from Field of Dreams)