When I moved to Nebraska I HATED it. It's hot as hell, literally, no one told me I would never have a good hair day because there is so.much.wind, and half the time the city of Lincoln smells like a barn. I thought the "Nebraska nice" saying was a joke, but turns out it's true. Most people are really nice. People made an effort to welcome to me, invite me to events, include me in conversations, and make this Michigan girl feel a little less like a fish out of water.
Now our time in Nebraska is coming to a close. My husband was offered a News Director position in West Virginia so we are moving so he can chase his dreams. We had fully planned on staying in Lincoln another year, but just days before we were going to resign our lease he got the call and the offer followed. We found a house with some land for the dogs to run and for at least the next two years West Virginia will be home.
It's bittersweet to be leaving NE. I never expected to think of this place that's literally a sea of corn with a few towns in between as home yet it is. We have restaurants that employees know our orders at, we rarely make a trip to the store without bumping into someone we know, and there's a familiarity to everything that welcomes you back like a big hug. Compared to where I grew up Lincoln is a small town. At times it feels suffocating to me because everyone kind of knows each other, but it is nice to have a tight knit community to come beside you when things aren't going great.
While we work on packing, which I HATE, there's a few people I'd like to say thank you to. Yazmin, you were the first person to reach out when I moved to NE and I knew literally no one. You offered up suggestions of things to do, places to see, and checked on me when I felt really alone. You're an incredible friend and I'm forever in awe of your strength, determination, and kindness. Your heart is pure gold. To Samantha and Buddy who offered friendship when I walked into a new job and was way out of my element. You two have kept me laughing, supported both of us, and made us feel like family not friends. I am forever indebted to you both for staying up with me during last years riots to make sure we were both ok. Your loyalty and unwavering support is rare and we'd like to take you with us. Not to mention you're both incredibly talented photographers. There's a lot of other people that come to mind, but for the sake of being brief I will just say thank you. Thank you to everyone who helped us move every times we needed help. No one ever complained that our couch weighed a million pounds (which is true) or got mad when one of the dogs got in the way. Thank you to the people who have welcomed us at church and supported us during COVID. We're so blessed to be surrounded by a wonderful community of friends.
Lincoln is a special place. It's a great place to raise a family and maybe one day we'll be back, but for now our chapter in NE is drawing to a close. There is a lot I'll miss but we're excited for a new adventure. We'll have a new place to explore and the dogs will love having so much open space to run and play in.
To everyone who has had a part in our story, thank you. We love you and we can't wait to see what God has in store for our next adventure. If this chapter is any indication, it's going to be a wild ride. Cheers to a wonderful ending and a new beginning!
