Home Sweet Where Do You Consider Home?

I recently returned home after a trip back home. Confused? If you’re like me, you use the word, “home,” for both where you currently live AND the place where you grew up. But that is very polarizing to some people. Most of us have opinions as to how you should use the term, but I love to call both Iowa and Colorado home. Here’s why…

Iowa. The heartland. Safe, affordable and full of hard working people who will wave a thank you for letting you merge while driving. We don’t call it “Iowa Nice” for nothing! I was born and raised in Boone, a town of about 13,000 residents for as long as I can remember. My grandparents lived there as did aunts, uncles and cousins. I can still name everyone I was confirmed with at my Lutheran church, but who am I kidding? I remember almost everyone I graduated with from a class of 200 or so (that’s just me and my memory!). And my memories of home are plentiful. They’re comfortable. The thought of sleeping in my old bed and cozying up on the couch in my family room are so comforting to me that I crave going back. The pace of things are so relaxing at home that I see it as a chance to recharge my batteries. My parents are both retired now so we get up in the morning and have coffee, read the paper, take a walk and come home to sit around and chit chat. Bumping into people while out and about and making conversation is special to me. And the fact that my kids love to play with all of my old toys just warms my heart. Boone will always be the home I come back to, and I hope it will always remain so.

Colorado is the home where I want to spend every day and every night. A sunset over the Rockies is truly amazing and refuels my soul. I knew from a very early age that I wanted to make the move to Colorado and I was very lucky to have some amazing relatives out here to help facilitate that. This state is full of many fellow midwesterners that share the same spirit instilled in us from childhood, with a desire to explore. The friends I’ve made are like family, and ironically or not, are mainly from the Midwest! This is where I met my husband, got married, bought a house and had my children. Outside of a quick stint living in San Diego, there is honestly no place I’d rather be. I love our neighborhood, the friends all of us have made and our amazing school. I think no matter where you are that is what we all seek. But for me, Colorado is ColoRADical.

My Instagram bio states: Iowa born. Colorado re-born. I’m approaching a time where I will have lived away from Iowa longer than I lived there. But it will always be home. Colorado will always be home. I’ve got roots, and I’ve got wings.

Colorful Colorado! (Note: I’m even wearing an Iowa shirt in this pic)