The Best and Worst

In mere hours we will be on our way to Utah to begin the third leg of our relocation program. I still can’t believe a year has gone by since we moved here. We’ve had a great year and made some great friends. Since we’re stopping our internet service today this will be my very last Nebraska blog. I thought I’d leave you with a best and worst list of our stay in the cornhusker state.

Things I will miss about Nebraska:

1. The great friends we’ve made. Living in a small Branch of the church has been a wonderful experience for us. We’ve felt needed, loved, and included; they truly were our second family out here. Last night they held an ice cream social just for us to say goodbye. We love them and will miss them! We will also miss the great friends Shafer made at work this year. We’ve enjoyed getting together with them and I know Shafer will miss working with them each day.
2. The small town feel. Everyone here is so friendly, whether you’re at the grocery store or playing at the park, you’ll always get a smile and often some pleasant conversation. Along with that we feel safe here. There is almost no crime here to speak of.
3. The fields. I’ve loved having a corn field right in our back yard that we’ve been able to watch all year. I love the way the rows line up so perfectly and the way the corn would sway in the wind, it really is very relaxing to watch. Plus, it was nice to have our back deck face a field rather than another building!
4. The cost of living. Our rent here is less than half of what we were paying in New Jersey and our apartment is huge! It’s been nice to have some extra space, not to mention a washer and drier! The home prices here are also very low, so if we end up here after next year we’d be able to get a nice place.
5. Jim Flowers the local NBC Weather guy. He always wears a flower in his pocket and he looks like the Monopoly Man!

Things I won’t miss about Nebraska:

1. Freezing cold winter. We had wind chills of 25 below zero, that’s cold!
2. The smoking. It seems like everyone here smokes. In our apartment complex you can’t smoke inside, but the smell still permeates everything, including our apartment where no one has smoked for at least two years.
3. The lack of good shopping. I’ve gotta be honest and say I’m so sick of Walmart. If you want to go anywhere other than Wally World you have to drive 1 ½ hours. We need a mall here!
4. Being far away from family. We’re so excited to live close to family again, we’ve missed you guys!