We’re moving home!

Ever since having Oliver, I have thought a lot about the type of childhood I want him to have and how I want him to be raised. He will always have Wyoming as his birthplace, but for his parents, Wyoming isn’t “home.” Before starting a family, Brett and I talked about returning to our home state of Nebraska. Maybe Lincoln, maybe Omaha; areas where we would still be “home” and where Brett could transfer to with his job at Target.

Yet once our son arrived, it was bliss to have our families around to not only help us when we needed it, but to dote and love on our little boy. I loved being able to visit my grandparents when I was little. My childhood is filled with memories of playing at their house, splashing around in the lake they lived by, having them attend all our big events and spending almost every holiday together. I still get excited when we get to go to their house to see them. I don’t know a life without them in it, and I want that for Oliver.

My grandma, my mom and me. Two of my favorite ladies. 🙂

For us, home is close to our family. Whether it was in central Nebraska or in the panhandle, I was perfectly happy at the thought of living in either place. Since leaving that part of the state when I was 18, I never thought I would consider moving back. It’s funny how being a parent can change your whole perspective on life. 🙂

I began to help Brett look for jobs either close to his family or mine. When an opportunity arose, I gave Brett all the details and he began the process of applying for a new job. Soon enough, he was offered the position, and we made the decision to move our family to Holdrege, Nebraska.

I grew up as a farm girl, and I attended school in a town with a population of about 1,500. But since attending college, I didn’t think I would go back to living in a small town. I liked living in larger towns with the convenience of stopping at Target or Starbucks whenever I wanted. Now that I’m older with a family of my own, I’m so excited to live in and be a part of a small community. I want to know my neighbors and take part in small-town happenings. I want to know and be friends with the parents of Oliver’s friends. I want him to play T-ball in the summer, ride his bike around our neighborhood, splash around at the local swimming pool and maybe even take part in 4-H. I want him to go to a small school with small class sizes and where his best friend from kindergarten could still be his best friend senior year. I want him to grow up with his family surrounding him and to have those childhood memories I treasure. If I can give him as wonderful of a childhood as I had, I know I will have done something right.