Virginia: My Haven, My Home

For those who follow me on Facebook or Twitter, it is no secret that I've been having a bit of a rough time at work. It is what it is, and I'll leave it at that. That's not what I'm here to talk about this evening.

I'm here this evening to talk about my home state, the Commonwealth of Virginia. I'm a transplanted Virginian having spent the first 14 years of my life in New Jersey. My parents moved the family in September of 1994 down to the southern Virginia town of Keysville. Keysville is a small town situated about an hour southwest of Richmond. Almost a decade and a half later, Keysville still does not have a traffic light.

While it was a huge culture shock at first, after a few months I really began to enjoy my new surroundings. Sure I didn't have all the conveniences I once had, but I found that I really loved the countryside. It should be noted, that I did spend a good portion of my early childhood on horse farms (my parents had been renting the houses). From there and visits to other rural places, I think I developed an appreciation for the countryside early on.

I only lived in Keysville for four years. While I loved my new home, at 18 years old I needed more than that small town could offer. To that end, I enlisted in the Air Force and left for basic training in April 1999. While the last 12 years have taken me many places, I always enjoyed any chance I had to go home for a visit.

Another reason that Virginia is so special, is that I met my wife Kristin here. I met her the fall before I joined the Air Force. It was Halloween night to be exact. I had just turned 18 a few days before and she was a sophomore at Longwood College (now university). We kept in touch over the years and when I came back to the states in 2004, we started dating.

The first time I came up to visit Kristin at her parents house, near Winchester, VA, I fell in love with my home state all over again. The Shenandoah Valley is not only one of the most beautiful places in Virginia, it is one of the most beautiful places in the United States. I'm so happy to be stationed in Maryland now as it puts me closer to my hometown as well as Kristin's.

So some are probably asking what my opening paragraph had to do with all of this. Well, despite the bad week I had spending the weekend here in White Post has been renewing. Whether here or in Keysville, this state always allows me to find my center again.

From a hayride with my ladies yesterday afternoon...




To a campfire at my in-laws' church...







To a evening walk with Layla today...



After this weekend, the stress from the last few weeks has melted away. I can't say that it won't return, but for now I'm going to enjoy my haven here.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.