A Kansas Princess.
A few weeks ago I put out a request to my readers for some topics you wanted me to cover on this here blog. Beth from Living a Goddess Life commented:
I am Kansas-ignorant...what's the deal with your state, Ms Princess? Tell us all about it! :)
[Top to bottom.] Kansas by car. Kansas "hills". Kansas sunset.
"She's a Kansas princess, crazy mother trucker, undercover lover."
"She's a Kansas princess, crazy mother trucker, undercover lover."
-Jason Aldean
I'm a Kansas princess because the great Jason Aldean identifies ladies from Kansas as princesses. I'm a Kansas princess because a part of my heart will always be 16 hours away in the state of Kansas with my family and friends. I'm a Kansas princess because my middle class raising gave me the opportunity to know both city and country, from Western Kansas to Kansas City. I'm a Kansas princess because for 20 plus years that was all I knew and called my own. I'm a Kansas princess because the greatest parts of my life have all started (and some ended) in the wheat state.
As a military spouse you ultimately identify yourself with one place. Where you came from. People will ask and you will list the places off that your military journey has taken you. But there is always that one place where the journey began. For me that place is Kansas.
It's just a rectangular state in the middle of the country. There is no ocean, no mountains and for the most part the terrain is rather flat and treeless. Kansas City is the largest city if you count all of the suburbs. On a national level though that's only number 37... and that's Kansas City, Missouri. Not Kansas City, Kansas.
There is nothing major Kansas can claim as a must see. Sure the locals know just what to point out to make it interesting... but most people don't flock to Kansas for vacation. So if you come you are more than likely either passing through or visiting family. Maybe that is what makes Kansas so great? The family.. the people.
My family. My people.
I've experienced it all on that Kansas dirt. Heartbreak, friendship, love, laughter, hopefulness, excitement, betrayal and happiness. At the end of the day.. I'm a Kansas princess because no matter where I live, where I've been or where I go in life, the one place I can always come home to is Kansas.
always,
amanda
My fave sentence of your entire post is the last one - it's always nice to know that you can have a place to come home to when you're a mil spouse being sent all over the place. Mine is my hometown.
ReplyDeleteI know so many people that love Kansas and I've never been there. We will be moving there in 3-4 years though.
ReplyDeleteThat's fantastic! I've never set foot in Kansas, but it sounds like a welcoming, people-centric place. And kudos to your family for getting you familiar with both city and country of your state (everyone should be so lucky). It looks pretty, in a solitude kind of way- I'm not used to seeing such flat landscape, but it's also very green. And I bet seeing the fields of wheat is pretty spectacular, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for answering! :)
I miss Kansas. We were stationed at Riley for a bit, and I can honestly say that I miss it. It was one of our favorite stations to date, and we'd absolutely go back.
ReplyDeleteMy friend just showed me your blog post and I can't help but agree with you 100%. I am a future AF wife and proud native Kansan (Wichita)! Thanks for speaking words truer than gold.
ReplyDeleteawhh i love this post amanda!! reading this makes me want to go visit kansas people! lol. I think it's important and comforting to have a "home"...for me that is a city in the east valley of the phoenix area in Az.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! My dad was born in Wichita and some of the family still live there. I have visited several times, too. I think you're right about family - at least it's true for me. And you really relate your love for your home very well!
ReplyDeleteLove this post! Its great to know a little bit about where you're from. :)
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