Saturday's Scribbles: Missing Minnesota

Good Saturday morning to you from our corner of Iowa where we woke up to 34 degrees.  Joel had tucked away our flowers in pots just in case frost came to call.  It did come calling, on the rooftops but not the ground.  It is almost time to take out my "Woolie" ~ that wool comforter is all I need to keep me warm on cold nights.  Too much for Joel, but a warm cocoon for me!  

We celebrate quite a few birthdays and two anniversaries in the fall.  Our oldest was married in Duluth at the church of her husband's parents.  It was a beautiful, warm fall day and a wonderful celebration.  Duluth was our home from 1972-74 while Joel forecast weather for Air Force pilots.  Lake Superior holds it's own beauty....so vast......with rocky shores and strong waves and chilly winds.  And 23 years after we left that place Bethany and Kevin said their vows in Duluth.  They never knew each other as kids, but God brought them together as adults. They both love the area and visit when they can.  Our oldest son and his wife were married in the fall, too.  On a beautiful fall day in a stunning chapel on the college campus in southern Mn. where they met.  Another relationship orchestrated by God.  In fact four of our children were married in Minnesota..........two raise their families there.  Just like our Lutheran heritage, our Minnesota roots run deep.

Today I am missing Minnesota.........our home state.  Joel was born and raised in the same place, Fergus Falls.  We will be buried there in the cemetery right next to his country church.  I was born in Washington, lived too many places, but spent the longest amount of time in Austin MN, graduating from there.  When you are military, you have a home state and it has stayed that way for us while in ministry, too.  We have lived in northern Iowa for 22 years now, but Minnesota is where we are from.  When we were in CA we would tell people we lived in Iowa but people would almost always mix it up with Idaho!  It was like Iowa did not exist.  I started telling people we were from Minnesota, but lived in Iowa now and that seemed to resonate in their brains.  Crazy.  

"I'm From Minnesota"

Yes, in the Midwest we call casseroles "hot dishes".  We call soda "Pop".  We don't turn our furnaces on until the end of October no matter how cold it gets.  Winter lasts longer and is colder than cold.  And our Minnesota accent hangs around even after years away.  Or so I am told.  When we were in the military, we often would be asked if we were from Canada ~ I way we said certain words. I guess... And of course Fall displays Minnesota's best in nature.  Although having 10,000 lakes makes summer good, too.  This song pretty much says it all!  Joel and I laugh every time we listen to it!

Yeah, today I am missing my family, missing Minnesota and all it has to offer.  It is not perfect, but it certainly holds a place in my heart and more memories than I can count.