ME: Yep. Bentonville, Arkansas.
FRIEND: <sheepishly> I don't even know where that is.
My husband and I spent much of our youth in the mid-west. He spent 12 years growing up in Springfield, Missouri. I spent my adolescent summers in Indiana and around Missouri with my grandparents and cousins. We met at a dance club in Southern California with so much in common that we married a few years later, and going on 17 strong. We love nature, so UC Santa Cruz drew us north. Work kept us there while raising a family, he stayed at home to raise the kids, I worked in tech "over the hill". Life was good, and in steady state, but... we realized things needed to change.
Santa Cruz wasn't what it once was, the beach and mountains were amazing, however the constant needles everywhere, homeless defecating in public places, and schools in decline put our kids future in question. The drive "over the hill" became a life risk with daily closures due to mudslides, collisions, and worse. Local government policies made it increasingly hard to own a home let alone run a business.
So, we began looking around. Idaho, Texas, New York, Montana, Arkansas. Priorities were nature, family, schools, clean and safe towns, balanced local government and policies. All these states had so much going for them, from the beautiful mountains to the small welcoming communities. I heard a story about a town in Idaho where if someone is at an intersection and the light turns green, but the driver doesn't move, people don't start honking instantly and yelling, but instead wait patiently. If they still don't move, people worry they are having health problems and are more likely to get out of their car and check on them.
North West Arkansas, Bentonville aligned with all our hopes, including family close by. Due to the care of the Walton family, there is a vibrant mountain bike and trail system, American art scene, NCAA rated University, and strong support for local businesses. Walmart and Tyson are based in that region bringing in cultural diversity and tech.
We bought a home close to town, twice the size of our home in California for half the price. People won't be able to see into our house, but nature will. Backyards are fenced with black rod so they disappear into the landscape. We joined the local Facebook group for our neighborhood, and were instantly welcomed.
No jobs planned yet. Yes, I have been in tech for 20+ years, but, I am using this as an opportunity to stop, take a breath, and be deliberate about my next endeavor. My husband was a stay at home dad, is a volunteer EMT with formal training for the fire department. We decided this will be a good time for us to consider switching it up. I'll take time to focus on the family and self while he focuses on career. This is not me "leaning back" this is me "leaning in" for me and the family.
This blog will be a documentation of this journey, from the move to settling into this new world including the challenges, the adaption, and fun along the way. I hope you will join me as I'm sure this will be better together.
