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Friday, January 15, 2016

Bittersweet Nebraska

One week....that's all we have left, one week.  We are supposed to roll out of town in one week.  After my years of complaining about Nebraska and wishing to be somewhere closer to family and the beach I'm beginning to feel the emotion of leaving a place I've made home for the past 8 years.  While the weather is my nemesis in this state I have transformed over the years and can recognize the great qualities of Nebraska.  The best thing about this place, by far, is the people.  I may not have family nearby but I have a Nebraska family I'm not anxious to leave.  The friendships I've made over this stage of my life are like none other.  Some of these people have already moved on to their next adventures but some call Omaha home.  There are people who have held my babies before my blood relatives have.  People who have comforted me through the trials of my once long distance marriage.  People who have seen us grow as a family, spiritually and in numbers.  Some have been there to watch AJ's first season of soccer and LJ's first steps.  Our Nebraska family will never be forgotten and will always be missed.

We brought the trailer home today.  It's parked outside waiting to be made into a home.  I'm so excited to begin this adventure but the bittersweetness of leaving is hitting hard right now.  This house, this old and tiny house....Dad W proposed to me in the back bedroom, it's 2 guest rooms have been converted into a nursery and child's room having welcomed all 3 of our children home from the hospital here.  I'll never forget seeing Dad W pull up in front of this house when he first moved here, after 3 years of longing to live together as a real married couple, that day is engraved in my memory.  The feeling of welcoming my husband home for the first time.  Two of my kids have learned to walk in this living room, build snowmen in the back yard, and share joy on the tire swing hanging from the tree.  Why did I complain so much about the horrible plumbing and old damp basement?  Why didn't I relish the stories that these walls have seen?  Now that I'm leaving I see the magic that this house has experienced.  The joy and laughter that has echoed in our hallway.

And yet, I know this isn't an ending, it's only the beginning.  I look forward to the stories we will create on this next adventure.  I will forever have Nebraska as a fond memory and experience.  This place was the beginning of it all.  My life as a wife and mother started here and it will forever hold a special place in my heart.  The people we have come to know and love will always be a part of our lives.  We look forward to coming back and reminding our kids of the place where their story's began.

Thank you to everyone that has made this chapter of our lives so special and unforgettable.  We love you and will miss you terribly.   

4 comments:

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  3. We will miss you all so much! Always know that you have a Nebraska family that will always welcome you into their home. We pray that this upcoming adventure will be a wonderful experience for your family.

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  4. We'll miss you too!!! Stay safe and have fun in all your adventures!! God bless!!

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