Where I've lived and what I've loved

Devan has a blog that I read, although I can't remember how I found her.  Anyway, she wrote a post about all the places she's lived and what she liked about them, so I thought I'd do the same...

Let's see...

Dayton, OH...I was born in Dayton, and the nurse in the delivery room was in the delivery room when my dad was born 30 years earlier...so it's where my dad's family is from, obv.  I have no recollection of living in Dayton...at least until college brought me back there.

Indianapolis, IN...we moved to IN when I was 6 months old?  A year old?  And moved away a year later.  No recollection of this place, obviously.

Lexington, OH...this town is northeast of Columbus...and actually really close to where Jeff grew up.  I lived there from the age of 1 until 7.  I remember walking FAR to school, and a big hill in the backyard that overlooked the cornfields behind us.  I remember the park at the end of our cultisac and big buckeye trees.  I remember wallpaper that looked like the old Wendy's tables (remember those old time newspaper designs?), yellow carpet, and how we had cinder blocks in the basement that we used as shelves for our toys.

Mansfield,OH...this is the "big" town next to Lexington.  I lived there for only 2 years, age 7-9.  I remember walking to school...far again...I remember the woods in our backyard, and our driveway that was on a busy-ish street.  I remember my blue bedroom, with wallpaper on the ceiling and a teeny tiny closet that I liked to make reading nests in the bottom of.  I remember my baby sister being born there.  I loved school and that house and the pool (Possum Run).  And I remember that the moving truck showed up on my 9th birthday...and I was NOT happy.

Cincinnati, OH...or a suburb of, in actuality.  This is where I consider myself "from".  I lived there from age 9 until I got married.  I love Cincinnati...but I know it through the eyes of a dependent, having never lived there or gotten into the politics or raised a family there.  It was a great place to grow up...lots to do and places to go.  Great schools.  Friendly people, but enough of them that you aren't always running into people you know.  4 distinct seasons, not much snow, humid as heck, allergy central.  Great food, fun culture, beautiful river and skyline.  Loved it.  Would move back. 

I spent 4 years in Dayton for college...but I was in the college bubble...so I don't know much about Dayton at all.  UD is awesome, though.  ;)

Orange County, CA...Jeff and I got married 2 months out of college and moved out to Southern California for his new job.  I got a job teaching 5th grade.  To say I was miserable would be the understatement of the year.  I distinctly remember creating scenarios in my head of how I could run away.  The weather was incredible and there was so much to do.  Beaches, mountains, museums, amusement parks...but we had very little money or vacation time to appreciate any of it.  ;)  We could watch the Disneyland fireworks from our apartment balcony every night, but we couldn't afford to go there ;)  And there were too.  many.  people.  Everywhere.  On the roads.  In the mall.  At the beach.  Just people everywhere.  Generally people were less friendly and more materialistic than my experience in OH.  Everything cost too much and everywhere was too crowded.   I did enjoy the weather and lack of bugs tremendously.  I missed song birds and seasons...  I was too homesick for much of our time there to really appreciate it.  But I made some great friends and truly feel like it solidified our marriage because I had no one to turn to but Jeff...and he couldn't pass me off on anyone else.  We bought our first property there, a little townhome after living in 2 different apartments.  We were there almost 6 years, and when we finally left, selling that property was like winning the real estate lottery.  So in the end, California set us up financially for a long time.

Louisville, KY...in a desperate attempt to get us back to a lower cost of living and closer to family, Jeff took a leap and took a job that he ended up hating.  We only spent 18 months in Kentucky, but I loved it.  I loved the people and how eagerly they took me under their wings.  I loved how family centered the city was.  I loved the size and what it had to offer...beautiful parks, good food, great people.  I loved our house and neighborhood...even though it was WAY more than we needed at the time.  Cost of living was terrific, and our closeness to family made me so content.  I think it would be a fantastic place to raise a family.  But not if it is giving your husband an ulcer.

Our town, PA...I moved sight unseen to our little house here on the outskirts of Philly.  After more than 5 years here, I have to say it is wonderful.  Historical buildings tucked everywhere, you can just sense the birth of America as you walk around.  Our town was founded in the late 1600s, and there are still many many buildings from the early 1700s still in use.  We have lovely seasons, and no real natural disasters.  We are close to so many amazing cities, but there are farms and little towns surrounding us.  People are abrupt and blunt and a little hot headed, but fiercely loyal and proud.  The cost of living is a bit high, but when you are surrounded by NYC and New Jersey and DC, you start to feel down right affordable. 

I don't know if I'll ever believe I'm permanently planted...it's just not my life experience.  But I feel privileged to have experienced so much of our country and tasted a bit of the flavor of the regions.  Midwest, West, South, and Atlantic.  The only place left would be the Northeast and the Northwest.  Not that I need to give Jeff any ideas...