We’re not in Kansas anymore…

July 2, 2009 | Filed Under Just Because | 2 Comments

When JT and I got married in 2000, his intentions to get his Ph.D were clear. I told him I’d go anywhere in the world with him for graduate school except for Kansas. I should have said I’d go anywhere in the world for graduate school except for Hawaii. Or England. Or Italy. Because two years later, we found ourselves in the Sunflower State. I’ll admit (and my closest girlfriends as well as my Mother can attest to this)- the first 6 months were horrendous. But it was mostly due to a job I hated and the oppressive humidity. We moved to Lawrence Kansas on August 9th, 2002 and in between that time and the end of watermelon season, whenever that was, JT and I SINGLEHANDEDLY ate 11 40-lb. watermelons. You didn’t know they made 40-lb. watermelons, did you? Well, in Kansas, they do. And we ate them. Come to think of it, we didn’t eat much else. But it was THAT hot, and somehow watermelon made us feel better.
I digress.
After that first 6 hard months, I started to fall in love with Kansas. I loved our proximity to the city (and yet we were removed enough that I really felt tied to my community), I loved our historic neighborhood and our cute little house, I loved Jayhawk basketball and all of the hype that went with it. I LOVED our friends there. I loved the campus. In retrospect, I realize that my life there was really idyllic. And I miss it SO much.

This beauty was built in 1920. It was the first home we owned. And truth: it’s hard for me to even look at these pictures. I love that house so much– the hardwood floors, the high ceilings, the wooden staircase, the claw-foot tub. It’s the house we brought Elias home to after he was born. It’s nestled in the historic district of town, less than 1 mile from the University. I’ve got such fond memories of putting my new baby in the stroller, walking up the tree-lined streets to the KU campus with a picnic or my camera or the dogs and meeting JT after he was done for the day (or even just interrupting his day). The 2nd year we were there, we added on 500 sq. feet and did all the work ourselves minus the framing, siding and roofing. Blood, sweat and tears- literally. But it was ours, and we made it our own. And someday I hope to again feel about a home the way I felt about that one.

The KU campus is so lovely. And I miss strolling around it’s grounds pretending to be in college again. Because I still miss college and everything that came with it.

Oh how I miss the storms!! The thunder and lightening, the rain, the tornados. I do… I miss it all.

Especially on days like today- when it’s 93 degrees outside with full sun and not a drop of rain since… well, since that day I wrote about how much I loved the rain… especially on days like these, I miss the green. In 4 years, I don’t remember watering our lawn one time. (JT will probably read this and say, “Uh, yeah- that’s because I did it.”) - No, really- it’s just green there, all over. And the 3 1/2 months of hot humid weather is so worth the GREEN .

It goes without saying, but I MISS OUR FRIENDS. We had such great friends in Kansas, and while most of them were also grad. students and have also moved on, my time there would have been incredibly different and more difficult had I not enjoyed many rich friendships.

The Merc. (short for Community Mercantile) is the best small, independent organic/whole foods market I’ve ever had the pleasure of shopping in. And, they have really great t-shirts (Jamie and I are addicts). I miss the “community” feel of Lawrence - my old gym, this great grocery, the local restaurants and bike shops and little boutiques.

The farmer’s market in Lawrence on Saturday mornings is NOT to be missed. It’s fantastic, and it’s huge. Cheeses, flowers, honey, organic beef and chicken, and of course fresh produce abound. (And let’s not forget about the wonderful baked goods by the sweet Mennonite women.)

I even miss THIS… (I once saw a bumper sticker there that said “Opossum: The Other White Meat”. Come to think of it, it may have been on THIS very truck!)