I don't hide the fact that I miss the convenience of living in a larger town {grocery delivery, tons of takeout food options, all the things to do, a target, etc.} but I think sometimes I forget to talk about what I like about living in rural Iowa. There are definitely some perks to small town living -- here are a few of my favorite things...
One. The climate. I love that we get to experience all seasons! I truly love all seasons and look forward to the weather changes. Winter -- skiing, sledding, ice skating | Spring -- flowers blooming, temps warming, school ending | Summer -- boating, family time, vacations, biking | Fall -- nature walks, bonfires, crisp mornings, football.
Two. The convenience. I can get a new driver's license, go to the post office, and hit the pharmacy in 10 minutes! When we lived in Des Moines any one of those things could easily have taken 30 minutes -- I wish I were joking!
Three. The small business support. We really saw this when COVID hit. Businesses {& restaurants} in larger cities closed like crazy, but I'm proud to say we didn't lose one. The people of this town rallied to support our people. Panera may have taken a hit, but our little coffee shop was thriving. The grocery store bakery shop may have been slower, but our cupcake lady was selling out every single Friday. While businesses in the city were closing, we were opening new ones.
Four. The school system. So listen, I know we pay for this, but our school rocks - the facility and the staff are just top notch. They care about our kids. They text me to check in on my kids. We moved from a city that had about 1500 kids per grade {25 kids per class in 10 different schools} to a school with 30 kids in the grade. My kids are in classes of 15! You can't tell me they aren't getting a better education. There is a reason Iowa schools are constantly rated highest in the nation. Our town is rated an A-
Five. The traffic. There is never a time that I’m stuck in traffic. I can be across town in under 5 minutes -- I can walk across town in under 10 minutes!
Six. The scenery. I've only recently really started to appreciate the natural beauty of open fields, water, and County/State parks. We are so fortunate to live on a like and be within a couple of miles of a beautiful, well kept County park.
Seven. The Small Town Pride. You probably won't understand this unless you've lived in a small town, but the pride people have for their small town is unbeatable. Whether you need a prayer or a new playground, this town shows up, but it's most noticeable during sporting events. So many people attending our sporting events don't even have kids playing!
Eight. The cost of living. It's no surprise to anyone that rural Iowa is one of the cheapest places to live. Our current home would cost $500,000+ in Des Moines and well over a million in a 'real' city. Homes in Iowa are a steal!
Nine. The community. It is so nice to know most people in town. You can send your kid to a birthday party without doing a background check on the parents. If you get a flat tire, you have no less than 50 people you could call that will come help you in under 10 minutes {a special bonus when your spouse travels often!}
Ten. The Sky. This is another thing I have learned to appreciate with age! At 30 years old I finally took the time to look up and see a shooting star. Our view of the night sky is unbeatable! I'll never forget the time I took Cullyn to a park to look lay and look at the clouds or when we all took the Jeep out to a hill late one night to lay on the hood and look for shooting stars. When you feel stressed about life, an evening looking at the sky will put everything back in perspective.
