America's Dairyland

I remember the first time I visited Wisconsin. Josh and I were going to visit his parents shortly after we were married and as we flew in, I looked down from the airplane and saw rolling green hills and large cornfields dotted with large red barns. It was just like the commercials and movies always showed-America's Dairyland, America's Heartland. Wisconsin.

Several years later when the Lord made it perfectly clear that Madison was the place for us to attend Grad School we were a little skeptical. Neither of us was sure that we wanted to live in Wisconsin-San Diego or Boston sounded WAY more enticing. But off to Madison we went.

Wallace Stegner (one of my favorite authors) spent 9 months living in Madison and has this to say of it: (in my favorite book, Crossing to Safety)

"Back in Cambridge some people felt sorry for us, going out to Wisconsin, as if it were Siberia. They just don't know. They don't know how warm and friendly and open and eager it is. And bright."

After living there for 5 years I feel the exact same way.

And now we have been gone from WI for 2 full years. And last week we went back to dear old Wisconsin to visit. We spent the week at Josh's parents' house and one day in Madison. We talked a lot while we were there about what we missed about it, what we didn't miss and how different the culture there is from California.

And here are our conclusions:

Things We Miss:

1. Friends. So very many friends.

Nathan and cutie BrookeSweet and wonderful Paulette and Chris. I also miss Chris giving big bear hugs and calling out whoever got to say the closing prayer after Sunday School.
Erika, Shannon and Jen
Maggie and her little cutie Jessie
And Victoria, er, I mean Valerie. :)
Side note-this list most certainly in not inclusive of all of our friends, and we didn't get to see nearly enough of them, this is just a sampling. Don't feel offended if you aren't on it. :)

2. Getting spoiled by Grammy Pammy and Grandpa
3. Summer afternoon thunderstorms. (Unfortunately all we got while we were there were middle of the night wake the kids up thunderstorms, but hey, at least it was something. I haven't heard thunder in years)

4. The gorgeous, lush green-ness of summertime.

5. Red barns and cornfields.

6. Babcock ice cream.

7. The friendly, we're all in this together kind of feeling.

8. Biking on nice flat roads. I went on bike rides almost every day and I realized how much I miss it. It is hard to bike where we are in San Diego because of hills and our location.

9. The accent. :) Oh how I love to here someone speak in a Wisconsin accent. Josh does a nice imitation if you need to know what it sounds like.

10. The Bratfest. And for those of you not from WI that is Brat not as in a spoiled kid but Brat as in the weeny that you eat on a bun. Hundreds of thousands of Brats in one weekend. (And hot dogs for those of us who couldn't quite handle a brat.)


Things We Don't Miss:

1. Humidity

2. Heat

3. Snow

4. Cold

5. Wind

6. Bugs

7. Snow

8. January

9. February

10. March

As you can see, we mostly don't miss the weather. Weighing those things we miss and things we don't, I asked Josh if he would move back. His was a resounding yes. Mine, I'm not so sure. I guess that shows how powerful of an influence weather has on me. Bad Amber. I am supposed to declare independence from the weather. :) But I would rather just have my friends move here or something. Really though, we love Wisconsin and had a wonderful trip (thanks in BIG part to Josh's wonderful parents-thanks Pam and Tracy!!!)

ps-The things we miss about WI in no way diminishes our love for CA. There are things we love and things we don't about CA too, but let me just say that I think we currently live in paradise and I am happy to stay here for a loooong time. The beach, palm trees, sunshine, millions of fun things to do. Love it.