Ever since I was 10 years old my parents would have our family spend the whole summer in Storm Lake, Iowa where my mom grew up and went to college. As a 10-year-old these summers were some of my favorite memories, but for my teenage siblings it couldn’t get worse. A whole 2-3 months away from their friends in a foreign state where they had no friends to hang out with. I can remember the countless number of complaints of boredom that came from my siblings. I can even remember a time when my brother was suppose to fly out to Iowa and “forgot” it was that day and not the next.

When I became a teenage I could finally understand my siblings’ perspective. We always used to complain about how small Storm Lake was and how boring it was to be there all summer. We used to say that all of the kids in Storm Lake must just go hang out at Walmart which brought about the saying, “Well, let’s go hang out at Walmart.” This drove my mom absolutely nuts and now that I’m a little bit more mature I can understand. But looking back, I really do appreciate all those summer spent in Iowa because it shaped who I am.

So here are some reasons why living in Iowa has shaped me.

1. I truly know what beauty is.

Tucson, Arizona

vs

Storm Lake, Iowa

2. I know how important it is to get away and relax

My guests even get a little relaxing on my hammock

3. I learned how to disconnect

Once and a while we need to disconnect from our phones and actually read a book, go outside, and just live in the moment.

4. I learned how to wakeboard and found a passion for it

5. I learned how to be a teacher.

No, I didn't actually become a teacher. However I learned how to teach others how to wakeboard.

How you feel about wake-boarding for the first time:

How you feel after you first get up:

I also got to teach so many awesome kids about Jesus during my junior counseling days at Camp Okoboji.

6. I learned how to make friends.

My siblings hated to come to the lake for the whole summer because they missed their friends. But instead of trying to make new ones, they kind of just sat around and complained about how they missed their friends and didn't have any here. But being the active little 10 year old always able to push her pool toy over to introduce myself and ask to be friends and play, I was able to make some great friends pretty fast. I've had these friends for years and I've loved hanging out with them and almost growing up with them.

7. I grew closer than ever to my family.

Sometimes a little too close. But without going to the lake with my family ever summer I don't think we would be as close as we are.

Aaron Picture

Ellen Picture

8. I learned how to love different kinds of people through the up and downs of the relationship.

9. Your high school and college friends will love to come to the lake to get away.

10. I learned Iowa boys are nicer

...for the most part.

11. You don’t need to have a beach body to love yourself.

This picture is the first picture where I didn't mind how I looked in a bathing suit.

After learning how to love myself, I'm not afraid to post a picture like this because I love who I am not just how I look or how much I weigh.

12. I learned how to relive my childhood.

Growing up in Tucson, Arizona, there wasn't much to do outside because it was so damn hot. We basically played in the dirt so coming to Iowa I've fallen in love with things that only kids that grow up in the midwest enjoy.

I love going to gardens, picking out new flowers, and planting them in my garden.

I've fallen in love with real trees that change colors, turn their leaves, and bloom.

I've literally had a lemonade stand when I was like 13 because I never got to do it as a child. I always stop at little girls' lemonade stand because I never really went to them living in Arizona.

I never got a chance to run through the corn fields when I was a child so I took full advantage of that.

Yes, I did go to the park, but when it's usually nice all summer I've learned to go quite often.

I've also developed a love-hate relationship with tubing and I've also learned that no one is too old to love tubing...even my mom.

13. I've learned that my dog, Oakley, loves Iowa too…maybe even more than me.

14. I learned that I truly love Iowa.

I love pretty much everything about it except the humidity (and no it’s not as bad as those dry heat Arizona summer 112 degree days. Continue

15. I learned that I would spend a chunk of my life here in college and hopefully more.

(And coming back with kids)

Maybe I’ll have the opportunity to live downtown and work for Meredith or the Register. That would be a dream of mine.

I never thought I would say I love Iowa and I want to live here, but here I am saying that. I never in my right mind thought I would go to college in Iowa. I longed for the the big apple or LA, but that just didn’t happen…yet. But I am so glad that I picked Simpson. I hope to live here maybe not for the rest of my life, but for a good couple decades. Thank you Iowa for taking captive of my heart.