Small Town, USA

I decided to include a guest blog I've written for a local realtor.

"I used to think it too small to spend a life in, but now I'm not so sure." - Mary Kelly

I left Lewistown, Montana two days after I turned 18. I moved to Billings, the biggest city in the state with a culture shocking 100,000 people. 10 months later, I moved to Bismarck, ND, which wasn't as big, but with the oil boom happening, it wasn't as safe either.

When I came home for my first long visit, it was like I was looking at home through new eyes. When I was a teenager, I assumed that every adult I knew was waiting for me to mess up, then they would call my parents. It took a little growing up to realize that the adults in my life were more worried about keeping me safe than getting me in trouble, and in that small town, I had a lot of guardian angels. Now, it felt more like the entire town was a huge, albeit unconventional, family.This idea was made into a reality quickly after I left again.

My little sister, Kenzie, was in a car accident during the summer of 2011. The little community that I couldn't wait to run away from, turned into the place I ran to, and they welcomed me with open arms. Strangers were putting on fundraisers for my family and everywhere I looked there were green and yellow "Pray for Kenzie" magnets.

After being gone for two and a half years, I am finally coming full circle and moving back home where I belong. Where life a little slower and a little simpler. People genuinely care about one another and differences are embraced as opposed to discriminated.

Big News

These past few weeks have been full of ups and downs. There was the 6 month anniversary of the accident. Starr and I's 1 year anniversary. Girlfriend weekend. Everyone having a bitch fit about my blog. Staying up all night talking and crying. Having to accept some hard truths and wanting to knife fight the people re-doing our windows. I also got the news that my work schedule will be changing and I will have weekends off starting at the end of this month. I want to take a week long nap.

I have some big news: Starr and I decided to sign a 6 month lease after our lease is up in April. That means another 6 months in Bismarck... but after the 6 months are over we are both moving to Lewistown. Starr is taking a year off from school. We'll get jobs and an apartment and stay for a year. After that year is over we'll reevalutate and see if Lewistown is the place we need to be.