Old cutoff t-shirt passed down from my brothers, sitting in the tractor for hours, with a view of acres of a field painted in front of me or freshly painted nails, with a little black dress on, about to go out to a nice dinner, with the candle light making the restaurant glow-either way, I'm still me.

You ever heard of the saying that goes a little like this, “You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl?” This simple line sums up me perfectly.

I was raised nowhere near the city limits, take the old blacktop road about a few miles outside of the village of Payson and there you’ll see the tan ranch house surrounded by fields and barns. That’s home to me, that’s where all my favorite stories from my childhood come from, and that’s where I will always go back to.

However, don’t let my country girl appearance fool you. There is a side to me that loves traveling to big cities. The tall building painting a beautiful picture in the sky line and all the various sounds making a different kind of music to me ears than I am used to on the farm. When I step onto the sidewalk of the city and you wonder why I stopped walking, just give me a minute because I am most likely just in awe.

I’ll always be the little girl wearing her rubber boots, standing in the middle of a cow pasture mimicking every movement my dad makes. I’ll always be that little girl standing on top of the roof holding a nail gun, just helping my dad redo the roof. I’ll always be that little girl that gets excited to spend a day shopping and getting my nails done with my mom. I’ll always be that little girl that hates and squeals at the thought of touching a frog or anything slimy. But that little girl is growing up and is ready to make her mark on the world, even if that means putting aside that country girl for a moment or two to make her dreams come true.

My parents have given me so much. They have stood by myside and they have helped shape me into the person I am today. They have helped me believe in myself and believe in the dreams that I have. That’s why I am ready to travel, to do things on my own, to go and explore and find new places. My parents have given me so much that if I stop now, I would simply be letting their hard work go to waste, right?

I’m going to travel and make a name for myself. I’m going to take the road that leads me to new adventures and teaches me more about myself. I’m going to take my dreams of helping others and put them into action. I’m simply just going to take the small town girl to the city, but will always know where home is.