I learn so much from friends. Just yesterday I sat reading through FACEBOOK postings and discovered things I knew nothing about. I learned what "fascinator" meant from Carol! It's a style of hat that many were wearing at the Kentucky Derby this year. Isn't this neat? Your dogs never leave you. They are so comfortable in their sleeping quarters because they lie near you. What a grand photo, Christa. Thanks for sharing it. I found this article about Iowa on FACEBOOK. Iowa is where we grew up. Where we are from. The state we will always cherish.
April 28 at 7:30 AM · I was recently a part of a conversation with a woman who took some passive-aggressive digs at people who live in Iowa. Without getting into it, I got the impression that she thought anyone who lives here is uneducated and inferior. I thought I would share this again to educate those who choose to be ignorant. I live in Iowa. You don't know much about it therefore you make some assumptions. You throw out words like "overalls and tractors" like it is an insult when those "overalls and tractors" are the backbone of this country to provide food and so much more for every family. Let me start by saying this: I'm not from Iowa. I'm a PA girl. My TV news career took me from the keystone state to Texas to North Carolina. When my agent told me about a job in Iowa, I'll admit, I did the whole: "ok, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois" while closing my eyes trying to envision the map of the US. I didn't know much about Iowa and its people, but I quickly learned that they are different. It's the wave everyone gives you when you're driving - their way of saying, "hey how are you? Have a good day." It's the neighborhoods with a ton of bikes in one driveway like it's a childhood from the 80s... It's the neighborhood BBQs with everyone going driveway to driveway to say hi... It's the way every neighbor looks out for every child... It's the small town celebrations once the temperature hits 40... It's the way businesses close early on a Friday night for high school football... It's all of the people who thank a veteran and shake their hand when they see them at HyVee... It's the sound of a pep band inside a packed high school gym... It's the feeling of walking through a local farmer's market on that first spring day... It's the way communities rally around one of their own... It's a college kid jokingly tweeting he needs beer money and ends up raising $3.15 million for children and families... It's casseroles showing up on your front door when you're in the hospital... It's strangers throwing you up in prayer during your dark times... It's the old school goodness of taking your family to a state fair... It's the entire church congregation showering your kiddo with gifts and prayers the day they receive their First Communion... It's showing up for strangers to rebuild towns when a natural disaster strikes... It's a packed Village Inn on a Sunday after church where you will run into one of our US Senators... It's family dinners where everyone talks about their day... It's the weekend trip to a beautiful lake or the mighty Mississippi... It's the friendly banter whether it's a Hawks, Cyclones or Panthers' state.... It's the summer night by the firepit toasting s'mores... It's the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets… It's the people who rise to the occasion every time you ask for help... It's people allowing an outspoken, loudmouth, former news lady outsider from PA to advocate for their children. This is Iowa. Do we have things to work on? ABSOLUTELY. Every day is a chance to do better. I get pretty defensive when people want to throw shade on a state and people who have been so good to an "outsider." When I left TV news, everyone assumed I would leave Iowa. Nah. This big city girl and her big city husband could not think of a better place to raise our family. All of the good parts of my childhood, all of the nostalgia...it's alive and well in Iowa. I wasn't born in Iowa. But I got here as fast as I could. by Amanda Goodman
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