{On Adjusting}

I am mostly writing this for myself, so I can remember this time of life...the good and the struggles ;)

I hear it at least on a weekly basis..."How are you adjusting?" Country life has sent my thoughts in a whirlwind. I have never lived anywhere that is so...open, quiet, and some days I would even through in the word isolated in there.  I'm not sure why our move to Columbus from Utah was an easier adjustment for me, probably because it "felt" like an area I was used to?!  Who knows ;)

I grew up in an area where everything was at my fingertips...malls, restaurants, countless things to do, family within a close driving distance, the zoo, parks, the mountains, and in neighborhoods where my closest neighbor wasn't clear down the street. The only place I've lived beyond this was even bigger...a metro area of over 1,800,000 people. Yes, living in the country has been a big adjustment.  Just to compare the other places I have lived....

Ogden, Utah Metro Area:  about 550,000
Columbus, Ohio Metro Area: about 1,800,000
Grandview, Washington: about 11,000

Trips to town consist of 40 minutes of drive time just to get to a Target (I swore to myself I'd never live that far from a Target!!), Costco, and the mall.  A trip to the zoo is 3 hours away, the mountains....about an hour.  I have never been a big fan of Walmart, but there is one 10 minutes away, and much more convenient than going elsewhere further away.  The grocery store (which is actually a very nice grocery store) is also only about 2-3 minutes away, so I am not totally out in the middle of nowhere ;)  

When I do drive in to the Tri-Cities or Yakima, I feel like my trips are always for stuff we need, not all the fun shopping I  used to do.  So walking around the mall or Old Navy happens a lot less often than I would normally like.  I have, however, learned the fine art of online shopping. Although it's not quite as fun as going to the store, it is fun to see what shows up in the mail!

I am not saying that I hate it.  The country has some good points as well.  First off, traffic...what's that?!    There is not rush hour, stop-and-go traffic, or anything of the sort.  It also doesn't snow here hardly at all.  It has made me sad in some ways.  Tucker has only got to use his snow gear a few times, and most of it was while we were in Utah for Christmas.  I must say driving on clear roads all winter has been fabulous!  We only have 3 chain restaurants in our small town...Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut and Subway.  The neighboring cities have a little more to offer, but again...that requires lots more driving!  This has given us a chance to branch out and try lots of local places.  We have fallen in love with the Mexican food here, the food carts, and the small town charm.  

Participating in the small town parades, festivals, and walking in the small "downtown" areas has been so fun.  The agricultural culture out here is a definite change.  We have gotten used to tractors in the fields (and on the streets), dogs running loose everywhere, and picking produce straight from the source.  I am looking forward to learning how to can certain things and taking full advantage of what country life has to offer!

We LOVE having a large yard (except when it comes time to rake leaves!).  The boys have so much room to drive around on their power wheel, or do whatever little boys do outside.  There are even a few cats that live in our shed out back and keep the mice away.

We have new fun places to explore.  The Northwest has a lot to offer!  We have only skimmed the surface of places we want to visit.  We have been to Seattle and Portland a few times and cannot wait to get to the Oregon Coast!  Our walks lately have consisted of walking among the vineyards along the canal instead of through neighborhoods.  If/when we leave this area, that is one thing I'm sure I will miss.

Living in a agricultural area, we have thoroughly enjoyed the produce coming from farms that surround us.  We have had awesome cherries, blueberries, apples, grapes, asparagus, and peaches to name a few.    We are looking forward to trying some of the local blackberries and raspberries this year as well.  I have been gearing myself up to try my hand at gardening as well (now that I have a large area to do so!).

I have also had to adjust and learn how to be a full-time 24/7 mom. Not working and being home all day, every day has been an adjustment all in its own. I used to get a great social outlet/adult conversation a few times a week at least when I worked. It also gave me some time away from my kids...time to miss them. I am now discovering this full-time mom business is hard!! I am learning time for myself is a hot commodity! So crafting has become more a part of my life lately, as well as reading, and cleaning more thoroughly on a daily basis.

What I have learned:  this may not be my dream place to live, but I need to bloom where I have been planted!!  There are countless missionary opportunities here, countless service opportunities here, a big opportunity to learn more about another culture (now that we are the minority here).  I am learning to manage my time better and organize my to-do lists because if I forget something when I do go into town I cannot just run back real quick.  I have learned that sometimes we have to create our own fun.  Playgroups, trips to town, walks with friends, playing in the church gym, library time, book clubs, girls nights, dinner with other families, monthly getaways, and keeping busy with church callings has saved me from a long, lonely winter.  We are continually learning the dental business and what kind of office Nate wants to work in for the next 30ish years.  Life is good.

The verdict:  We are continually adjusting to our new life and trying to live one day at a time.  Will we stay here permanently?  Maybe we will, maybe we won't.  In the meantime, I call the country my home.  I am currently searching for my first pair of cowgirl boots!  We have met wonderful people and great friends that have made transition easier.  And for that, we are truly blessed :)