Humble Beginnings

Kyle is a city kid, 100%. He attempts to duck hunt and has fun doing it, but it in no way takes away from the fact that he is a city kid. He was born and raised in St. Charles, and we live here now with no plans of leaving. So I suppose he will remain a city kid. There are very few raised trucks here, wal mart is not the only store in town, and people do not talk to you if they don't know you. Sure it's in Missouri, and compared to NYC or LA it's country - but compared to the rest of the state... it's a city.

Me? As much as I twitch when I say this I am a country girl. I didn't plan that, and I fight it as much as I can. I was not raised in this city, and as much as I love living here and being a part of this city it's not where I'm from. Where am I from? Poplar Bluff.

It's a silly little town in Southeast MO. I say that because a lot of people from here don't have a clue what or where it is. Wal-Mart is THE place to be on a Saturday, and there is no doubt you will see 100 people you know. And if you didn't do your hair or put on clean clothes because you were only going to "run in" all 100 of those people might as well be standing in a line to greet you... with an extra 50 at the end of the line. There are one million churches, with 4 million church gossips just waiting to spread the latest news. And every time I go back there is one more church because someone decided to leave a church and start their own. There is a hospital, but I don't know many people that trust it. In high school we had a "muddiest truck" competition. People stand in the middle of the street to sell newspapers. There are multiple 5-way stops; good luck figuring those out. Tractors drive down the road. There is a restaurant called The Cow Shed. People are friendly, and will talk to you about anything. Most of them have a thick accent. And I would guess that 1 in 2 people have a truck, a big truck. And on the outskirts of this crazy little town is my house. In the middle of the Mark Twain National Forest.

Kyle grew up in the suburbs. He lived on a street of perfectly lined houses with perfectly manicured lawns. I swear there are five models of houses in St. Charles, and every house has to be one of those five models. It. Drives. Me. Nuts. Especially now that we are looking at houses. I swear I will not live in a house that looks like every other house on the street.

There is not a chance of that in Poplar Bluff, more specifically, my parents have a house that no one would even dream up. When you turn off the main highway, and on to the two and a half mile gravel road... you might wonder where you are. And yes, you are in the forest. They live in the forest, the real forest. Where deer frequent the yard, and a bear stopped by my neighbors back porch. And when I say "neighbor" I use that term loosely, we are separated by acres. On top of a mountain, deep in the woods, sits my house. The driveway is gravel, and most of the time washed out, so you better give it some gas if you want to make it up. There is a huge ditch on one side, and the forest on the other... so don't do anything drastic. I have seen too many people make a costly mistake. When Poplar Bluff schools have snow days, it's because of my road. We just prepare to sit in our house for the better part of a week. There is no getting down that driveway in snow or ice. However, if you make it up the driveway you are sure to be rewarded by two of the best dogs in the world.

Kyle didn't grow up with dogs. Well, he kinda did. But he never had one for too long. But honestly, I can understand why. Here, gasp, dogs have to be on a leash! It's a law! And you have to pick up their poop! Sick. It's definitely a deterrent from having a dog. Where I grew up, however, no such rules. There may be rules, but people certainly don't follow them. Our dogs have the run of the forest! The little one is Bella. She is a black lab mix, from the pound. She is nuts, but so much fun, and regardless of what my mom says, she is a good dog! The big boy is Buddie. All 100 pounds of him. He wandered to our house almost two years ago. Absolutely starving to death. He would take a step and lay down. Hung his head low. And barely moved. We've actually kept a lot of strays in my lifetime - and he was going to be no exception. My parents fattened him up, and he has turned out to be a GREAT dog. He's so sweet and gentle. He's old though, so he's got bad knees and hips. But don't worry, they give him glucosomine haha.

So everytime I go home, I have the two of them waiting for me at the top of the mountain. After I walk inside the real fun starts. Buddie takes his huge body and leans. And you fall over. Then he sits on you. Meanwhile, Bella takes full advantage and goes to town on your ears and face. They are quite a pair - and my favorite part about going home.

Kyle has never had to use the phrase, "I'm going to town." I grew up using that phrase. And if you went to town and forgot something - it's going to have to wait until the next time you go to town. I love St. Louis, I really really do. But I like going home, too. I like the challenge of missing potholes on our road, and going to wal mart to see every variety of person I could ever imagine, and I like catching up on all the gossip, and reading the police reports to see who I know. The papers up here are just too big. In Poplar Bluff they are maybe four pages. I love getting the paper there! There is a section titled speakout... where anyone can say anything they want. I will end this with the speakout from Monday's paper when I was home. (Backgroud: I guess they tore down a house to build a parking lot for teachers at a kindergarten center, but I guess the teachers are still parking on the street).

"The lazy teachers need to get off their butts and park in the parking lot."

I love you. Poplar Bluff.