8.16.2008

Minnesota vs Idaho

Last week (I think), Lynn posted a list of things she would miss and not miss about Korea.  I thought it would be good closure to our moving story. I know I will probably think of more things later but this is off the top of my head.

What I Miss About Minnesota 
- Family and friends.... I miss my family and seeing the cousins play together and I miss hanging out with my friends
- The lakes, beaches.... We spent many summer days at the beach -oh how I miss beach days.
- My small town .... We biked to the library, the grocery store, and the park. We could leave our house unlocked and feel safe.  The librarian knew what I liked to read and would save new books for me.  When you walked down the street or biked people would greet you and make conversation. There is something to be said for small town living.
- My neighborhood..... With big yards, no fences, and many kids running around. Our yard seemed to be the place for kids to play and parents to meet and visit. It was a nightly occurrence to have a yard full of people.
- The museums, the zoos, the concerts, the plays ..... Living within an hour to a large metropolitan area had HUGE advantages. I miss having these opportunities especially for my kids.
- My basement.... There are very few houses here with basements. I miss the storage space, the place for the kids to play and make a mess that no one would see.

Things I Love About Idaho
- The weather.... The temperatures are more mild in the winter, there is no humidity and very few rainy or snowy days.  
- The mountains.... I mostly put this in for my husband as I am way more of a beach/lake/ocean girl myself.  A big draw for Lance is coming to Idaho was being able to ski on a regular basis.  Living within an hours drive of the ski resort is a huge plus for him.
- Shopping conveniences.... Within a year of our move, we had a Costco, Target, and Kohl's built within ten minutes of our house.  It saves so much time to not have to drive 30 minutes to get to a store to run errands.
- Lance's job... His days are more scheduled and we have a set on call schedule which makes the planner in me very happy. 
- Boise... What a great city!  It is small but I love the quaint feel of downtown Boise.  It is a beautiful city and so much fun.
- The Greenbelt ..... The path in Boise is amazing - wonderful for biking, running, and walking.  It is a beautiful place to spend time along the river.  We also have a little greenbelt close to our house where the kids like to bike, play, and feed the ducks.

5 comments:

nicole said...

i couldn't agree with you more. you make me want to move back...man i miss the small town life. but i like those conveniences of the "somewhat big city"

Short Stop said...

You certainly have a lot to love about both places.

That is exactly how I feel about MD and here. I miss things about MD, but I LOVE some of the things about here...especially beach days. I'm a beach kinda girl, too.

I miss my friends and family and seeing the boys with their cousins, too. It makes for some marvelous family reunions when we get together, though.

Denise said...

neighbor,
it takes me 30 minuets to get to the nearest town (to just about anywhere, i live in the boonies). 45 minuets to get to target and cosco. ugghh!
i dream of a 10 min. drive.
my gas tank dreams of a 10 min. drive, so does my checkbook.

in His time.


when i was in MN i was shocked that there were no fences, but there as to be a sense of belonging in a community that does not have fences.

Jenni S. said...

Wow, your life in MN does sound very satisfying. BUT, being where God has you - although it stretches us and makes us uncomfortable sometimes - is totally worth it. And it sounds like you've really found some things in Idaho to bring contentment as well.

Lynn said...

Kristen, I just loved reading your list. I found typing mine helped me to process some of the changes and reflect on why God had me in that place and what He has for me here.

We have so much in common. I love small town life. I am a beach girl, but my husband would LOVE the convenience of having a great local place to ski. I am a planner, and Patrick having a family friendly schedule makes a huge difference for us. I love the cultural opportunities in the city, but I am a country girl through and through.