When I first stumbled upon this gratitude challenge I kind of had to giggle over this topic, "The City You Live In." Growing up in Nephi it was kind of just the "thing" to hate on it. Indeed it is a tiny, little city with not a whole lot to offer, especially in the entertainment department. Though it be SO horrible, why is it most of us who have been raised here find ourselves sneaking back to raise our own families? I say sneaking because it's really quite comical when the decision is made to move back to Nephi. Most all of us try to do so without a soul knowing. When we do have to explain we have moved back, the explanation isn't usually done with pride. So, what is it? Is it the comfort of having family and friends live only blocks away? Is it the closeness of the small community? Is it the simplicity of only one street light and having everything within walking distance? To be honest, I'm not sure I'll ever quite know what it is about this little place, but in my old age ;) I've learned to appreciate this little city more than I have wanted to let up.
Though I can't quite decide if I necessarily want to raise my children here forever, I really do not mind Nephi. It was a pretty big decision deciding to move back in the first place. If it wouldn't have been for our son, I don't believe we would have chose to move back, actually, the idea probably wouldn't have even presented itself. The ultimate deciding factor came down to family. With Drayze being so young and not having much luck with daycare(s) it was somewhat of a no brainer to move back so my sister in law could watch him while I work. This has been an absolute life saver for us! The majority of our family also lives in Nephi. I didn't realize how much this affected my life growing up until I had a family of my own. I want my kids to be able to call their cousins to play or "run away" to Grandma and Grandpa's house when they're mad at mom and dad. I want their aunts and uncles to be able to pop by on the fly just to hang out. I want them to look forward to the small town traditions with their friends. The same way I did when I was a kid.
The simplicity of this little city just fits our lifestyle. I don't need a shopping mall within arms reach, and I don't expect to be wined and dined at the fanciest of restaurants. I don't need 10 different grocery stores to choose from, nor will I need 3 different schooling options for our kids. Although a Starbucks would be awesome, or any coffee shop for that matter, I'm quite content with this tiny little city for now. Who knows where the future will take us, but as for now, home sweet home.
Because we live so close to family.....
I will be the first to admit I never thought I would move back to Nephi {I was hellbent on moving out of state!}, but honestly, this tiny little place will always be home, and I feel like right back where we started from is exactly where we were meant to be. But yeah... a Starbucks would really liven the place up ;]
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