Now She's Done It!: There's No Place Like Home

December 16, 2007

There's No Place Like Home

I've been lurking around Michelle Ward's GPP Stream Team blog for some time, just waiting to be able to contribute something to her inspiring monthly "Crusades". But, I'm usually either too busy, or think about it too much and never get around to DOING it, or ... oh, any number of excuses! LOL But, as part of my early New Year's Resolutions, I'm going to put aside my need to do everything perfectly or not at all and just do it!

So, Crusade #15 is about sharing a little about where we're from and where we've lived, yada, yada, yada.

Well, I grew up in the tiny little village of Mendon, Michigan, about 30 miles north of the Indiana border. The population floats around 1100 I think. My graduating class had 43 students! So, yea, TINY.

I actually loved growing up there. I grew up on a farm, the same farm my Dad grew up on.

Here's a pic of the house from up on the hill out back. Some of the barns are in need of repair, but it's still "home" to me:

I had lots of space to roam around and for a girl with a very active imagination, that's really all you need, right? I'd take my notebook, or whatever Anne of Green Gables book I was reading at the time, and a blanket and go for a walk and plop down wherever it moved me and start scribbling what I can now honestly say were truly horrible stories, or lose myself in Anne's world.

Here are a couple of my favorite spots:

I'd spread the blanket out next to the creek and listen to it gurgle away ...

That's my Dad in the background mowing the lawn - an image that always reminds me of home as well. This was a great place to hide out because the barns on either side sheltered me from really blustery days that would make writing or reading, let alone keeping a blanket smoothly laid out on the ground, nearly impossible!

But this is probably my favorite place at my parents' house. There's a big hill behind the house that is probably the highest spot in Mendon - not that that's saying much - and every summer we'd camp out with all the cousins and every winter we'd have huge sledding parties. You can see the fire pit on the right side of the photo.

And just for fun, here's an old photo of me and my friends at one of the sledding parties when we were probably about 13 or so. That's me in the red, orange and yellow snow suit, Natalie in the back covered in hair, and Kristina on the right who is still one of my closest friends!

Sigh. After growing up in these rural surroundings, I eased into city life and went to college at a small private college in Holland, Michigan. While there I took a semester in Philadelphia - which I loved! Then I decided city life was more for me so I moved to the Detroit area for a year after graduation to look for a job. When that didn't come through I moved to Grand Rapids and lived there for 10 years or so. I met my husband there and we moved back to the Detroit Area (Novi to be exact) almost 2 years ago.

So, most of my life has been here in the great state of Michigan. I do like it, and I love being close to our families, but who knows what the future holds!

Dec 16, 2007 9:09:49 PM

12 Comments

Heather - glad to have you join in on the Crusade! Thanks for sharing your place in the world. I lived in Traverse City for 6 years and know the snow there very well in addition to many beautiful places in Michigan. Let me guess - did you go to Hope College? I visited the campus during my college days as I had friends who went there. I just took a quick scroll through your blog and see that you are recently married. Congrats! What a beautiful bride and handsome wedding party!

Posted by: Michelle Ward | December 16, 2007 at 10:03 PM

I love Anne of Green Gables and how lucky you were to live that life! It looks so idyllic.

Posted by: Syanne Bleu | December 17, 2007 at 01:16 PM

No one knows what the future holds but how wonderful to have had such a lovely past as foundation from which to pursue all of your dreams. The picture of you in your snow suit took me back to Saturdays snow mobiling. We went from happy as can be to nearly frostbit quickly, then warmed happily in front of the fire. Thanks for sharing your story!
jodi barone

Posted by: jodi barone | December 17, 2007 at 08:37 PM

Great pictures! I especially love the ones in your '70's snow suits! My Daddy was born in Detriot, so I guess I have a little MI in me.

Posted by: plo | December 19, 2007 at 06:00 PM