The way I see it....

Let me preface this by saying that this is NOT a good-bye article.  Even though this is my family’s last few days in State Center as we  make the big move to Shenandoah, I’m not saying good-bye.  You aren’t getting rid of me so easily, because I hope that we can make  this long distance relationship work.  For those of you wondering – YES!  I plan to continue to write my column as long as it works for Chris and me.

As you would expect, I’m filled with many emotions.  I’m so very sad that we are leaving such a great community and school district after 12 years.  At the same time, I know this is a great move for 

both my husband and our entire family.

I’ve told this story before, but it is worth retelling.  When Aaron and I moved to State Center in the summer of 2005, I did not like it here.  At all.  I used to cry and beg my husband to let me move back to Northwest Iowa to be with my family and friends.

Then, a funny thing happened.  I got this job at the paper because, and I’m just being honest, there was nobody else.  I had no journalism degree and zero experience in the newspaper business.  All 

I had was the want to learn this job.  What I got was so much more than I expected.

With the exception of a one year hiatus when the newspaper was under new ownership, I have been at the paper a total of nine years.  NINE YEARS.  This is for somebody that had no idea what she was doing. This job has quite literally changed my life.  I’ve found a love for writing.  I’ve grown to love meeting people and hearing their stories.  I truly now understand what the word “community” means by all the love and support we have received from you all.

It seems strange to think that we are moving to a place where they don’t know us.  They don’t know what we’ve been through.  They can’t truly understand the lowest of lows and the highest of highs 

that we’ve experienced like you have.  I don’t think that’s something you can truly explain to somebody unless they lived it with you.

While I am excited for this new adventure, I know that there are definite things about this town that I will miss.

-I will miss the trains going by in the middle of the baseball game, there’s such a uniqueness in that.

-I will miss the fact that everything in town is just a few minutes away, no matter where you’re going.

- I will miss the sense of pride this town has in its history and revitalizing the downtown.

-I will miss the beautiful Rose Garden.

-I will miss people coming up to me and talking to me about something I’ve written in my column.

- I will miss going into the grocery store and ALWAYS seeing somebody that I know.

-I will cheering for the Trojans.

-I will miss the library.  I am book nerd and think that our little library is pretty remarkable.

-I will miss my friends and especially those friends that are now like 

family.

-I will miss seeing Chris, here at the paper.  We’ve been together for eight years.  In eight years, we have gone from strangers to being family.  She has continually allowed me to do this job however I could fit it into my life, as long as the paper got done.  I will miss our long talks about anything and everything.

-I will miss all of you.  I keep thinking that while moving is sad, if we never would have moved, we would have never met so many wonderful people here in this community.  Change can be a good thing.

As I sit here typing this, knowing this is my last Monday actually in the office it’s really starting to hit me.  This week will be a tough one.  I feel like that’s a good thing though.  The fact that this move is going to be so tough, means that our family has been pretty dang lucky to be in such a place that is so incredibly hard to leave. I have to give you one final thank you, for riding along with us and supporting us in this incredible chapter of our lives.  You will always hold a special place in my heart, but that’s just the way I see it.