Back Where I Come From. . .

This past week someone stated "There are 2 times in your life that you should never make drastic decisions: during a birth or a death."


Then, my friend "T" wrote about her childhood and going back home. (here) I love T's blogs. They always resinate with me. I think she and I are more alike than we even know. (love ya, T)


So, how are those related you ask? 


Well, I believe there are 2 times in life that we become the most sentimental: during the end of something and during a beginning. 


As I prepare for Jace's arrival, the closer it gets, the more sentimental I get. The more I want to see friends from long ago, the more I crave going back to the place that is most familiar to my past. 

Like, T, I too long for a trip "back where I come from." 

*******************************************
While driving on on the toll road passing the big orange "T" that charges me an arm and a leg to go through, I looked to my right and saw trees, farm land, cows, even. To my left, houses, restaurants, construction. 

I continued to drive along and listen to my new favorite app on my phone (Pandora). Then, a domino of songs came on that reminded me of "back home." 

Just to See You Smile - Tim McGraw

Back Where I Came From - Kenny Chesney

Red Dirt Road - Brooks and Dunn

Meet in the Middle - Diamond Rio

The Dance - Garth Brooks

Yeah, I'm in a country kind of mood lately. Hello?! I grew up in the country. Every once in a while I realize that you can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl. 

As Maddie and I sat down to eat at one of many of our favorite restaurants, I wonder if I could ever leave the "metroplex" for small town life. Granted, I live in a small town right outside of the metroplex, but this small town is so close to the big cities it doesn't really compare to the "map dot" where I grew up. 

Then I begin to wonder about all my classmates that did stay in Small Town, Texas USA. Do they wonder what it would be like to live in a place that provided organic foods at every grocery store? Do they long for the shopping options we have here? Do they wish they could experience the "busy life" that takes over everyone's lives here? 
**************************************************
I often joke with my "city boy" husband that we will move back to my hometown someday and he thinks I've definitely gone off the deep end. He thought moving here was the country. :) I guess to a Houston city boy, 30 miles from Dallas is the country. 


However, those of us back where I came from know different. 


Here are some of the things I've been missing from back home. Some are still there, some aren't, but either way like always my memory portrays them as some of the "best" things in life. 
You haven't lived until you've: 

• visited Paula's Mexican food place - I still strive to make chicken tacos like she did
• made a trip to Wal-Mart and took an extra hour to shop because you've ran into at least 10 people you know well enough to have a 10 minute conversation
• experienced a snow cone from the former Sweets with Elegance ladies - fresh lemon squeeze is my staple and not a trip goes by that I don't get one while passing through town - yes Bahama Bucks is good, and the Snow Cone Lady rocks, but nobody does snow cones like these. 
• driven on the "drag" - you would hit almost every light in town, make a stop at least once at Sonic, do the little "circle" around town that took a whole 5 minutes and start all over again
• driven on at least real dirt road. who knows where it lead, but you still thought it would be fun to "explore"
• been to a rodeo - not the MESQUITE RODEO - the small town Rodeo (yes, I even once wore boots)
• been on your way home (probably 5 minutes later than you planned) to pick up a burrito or chimichange from Allsup's. My senior year, I decided to start adding Cheetos and Mountain Dew to this order 
• been able to go to one of the TWO Dairy Queens that use to be open. Nachos with jalepenos is still my favorite. And they don't use ORGANIC cheese. ;) 
• had days from school off just because it was stock show week! 
• been to at least one Seminole Trade Days
• spent an entire weekend, sometimes every weekend either playing co-ed softball or sitting in the stands watching softball during the summer
• spotted a tornado or two a few miles out of town
• ran into a few tarantulas and/or rattle snakes. (pretty sure my girls would freak at this)

Oh, the list goes on and on.(feel free to share yours below) The bottom line, though? 

No matter how our childhoods were, what we were lacking, how much we were made fun of (yes - me with glasses and braces), how many friends we did or didn't have, if a boy ever asked us out, or what tragedies occurred during that time: 

We all have at least a few happy memories from our hometowns. 

Chances are we will reminisce about them every once in a while. 

Some say it's a backward place
Narrow minds on a narrow way
I make it a point to say
That that's where I come from

      Kenny Chesney