Is it possible to be a nomad and a homebody at the same time? Having grown up out west and moving to the east coast, I had hopped between the south and the north through college. After taking a dream job and moving to New York, I was not surprised to fall in love with a man who also loved to hop around the country like a hot potato! He would argue that he didn’t grow up in the south, he grew up in Florida (only those native to Florida understand what he means!). AJ the most wonderfully talented, and innovative man I have ever met and am proud to have taken his arm through life for the past 4 years. In those 4 years, we have moved 5 times (two of which were in different states!). We have been in our current home in Oklahoma for 9 glorious months and have continued to discover the magic this home holds.
We live in a small town in the plains of Oklahoma– population 659. There are no grocery stores, fast food restaurants, traffic lights (or traffic for that matter), gyms, movie theaters, hotels, or anything opened past 7 pm. However, living in a small town has its perks. It is full of the most wonderful things: good neighbors that look out for you, farms with friendly horses that love to greet you on morning walks, hay bales on every rolling hill in view, no strangers, waves from every passing car, a very loved snow cone stand, food trucks on a weekly rotation, a humble post office, Sid’s Gas Station with the old school gas pumps (Sid had to show me how to use my first time!), the only and most coveted K-12 school in the rural area, and the only diner in town with daily dinners and delicious espresso.
When the Lord moved us to Oklahoma almost 3 years ago (count down in 2 months!), we did not know nor understand anything about the Sooner State other than the infamous Broadway musical (which I have yet to watch, I’m ashamed!). We decided to move to the City and thought “What fun this will be!”. After 2 years of traffic, horns, sirens, construction, and buying a house in a tiny run down neighborhood with terrible neighbors, we had had enough of the city life.
I don’t know if it was an in the moment decision to move to the country or if it was something rooted even deeper. A familiar calling to go back to the way things used to be. Both of us had grown up with space to stretch. I was missing the Colorado Mountain ranges beckoning from my bedroom window when I was a teenager. I missed the tranquility and serene beauty that comes from hearing, seeing, and being in nature. Being outside is life-giving to me. Healing. Rejuvenating. Our current home is that for me.
During the July heat, I am enjoying outside in the mornings and evenings. I love to curl up with a cup of coffee and take in the fresh, humid air. The stillness of the pond with the cranes looking for breakfast. The birds singing their morning songs. The evenings watering my garden with cool, refreshing water. This is what I am enjoying most right now.
Home with Hope 