Location.Location.Location.

That's what it's all about right?
Before we moved, when I would tell people where we were moving, I heard all kinds of comments. The ones that stuck with me were the ones from people that had lived in this area. I remembered them and sort of filed them away.
The comments were all similar. "Oh, you're gonna love it there. It's so real there." "It's so much slower there." "I wish we could go back. There's just not as much pressure." And many more like that.

My first clue was when I went to a club Trey helped grand open and the spa manager and I were talking. He said to meet with this specific stylist. She could give me that "Dallas hair." I kind of laughed. He said that Dallas has a higher standard.

So, we are here and just spending time over the weekend unpacking. We are in an older established neighborhood. It is tree lined and gorgeous. Our house was built in 1972 I think. It needs some updating, but it is in great shape and we love it. The neighbors are great. Many have lived here all their lives. I noticed when we were visiting here and more the days after the move, the shops and buildings are older. Everything is not brand new and shiny. At first I could sort of feel myself feeling kind of bratty and not really liking it. Now I realize it was just that I was so used to back home everything is neat, polished and brand spanking new.

But, the first day of school is when all the comments I had heard really showed their meaning. The kids made sure to wear their best, since it was the first day.
I went to eat lunch with the kids and made sure I looked all cute. Ya know, a girl's gotta make a good first impression! I get there and sit down. I see other moms around and the teacher on lunch duty. I quickly noticed, I was somewhat overdressed. I wasn't wearing anything crazy like a suit. Just cute top, jeans, and cork wedge heels. But, the other people were major casually dressed. I even saw Teva's and scrunchis ( agasp!) old mom jeans...and just plain old tshirts. I did not see even one Prada handbag!
Those were just a few that were out of date. But really most were not as "dolled up" as I am used to seeing.
Even the kids were dressed different. It was typical Target/Wal-mart clothes. I didn't see any other the girls decked out in Limited Too stuff. Just average. Across the board average.

I have also noticed the pick-up line. I get there early and the kids and I walk most days. So, that gives me some people watching time too. I see the cars file in and line up. Honda accents, Pilots, Jeeps, Kias, older Suburbans ....average. There are some Escalades, Lexus, and Benz sprinkled in, but not like back home. The average is the majority not the minority. It's not a line of luxury vehicles in the pick up line. It's just more balanced.

Noone has even asked what neighborhood I live in!

It was for sure a culture shock. It was also humbling for me.
Living in North Dallas, I definitely felt the pressure so many days, most of them really, to fit in, to live up, to measure up. It always felt like we never had enough. Almost as if we were failing because we weren't in the same "bracket" as some people. It was a lot of pressure.
I felt like I had to be dressed just right to go to school and eat lunch with the kids. I felt like I was a gimme that we should eat a certain restaraunts and frustrated that we couldn't. It was a frustrated lack of not having...

Being here has really shown my a lot about myself and my focus. I noticed it when we were there, but it was still so close that I couldn't see it all. I can see now how focused I was on the wrong things. I was frustated I didn't have a new Suburban( I still want one), that I have a minivan. I was frustrated that I didn't have the "in"jeans, only regular store ones. I was frustrated that we didn't have new house on a big lot instead of a small home in a decent neighborhood. I do not think there is a problem with having nice things or wanting more for yourself. The problem was I was letting all that detemine who I was. I was caught up in the status of it all.
I was frustrated about so many of the wrong things, instead of what was true and real.
I was caught up in it. I had let in damage myself self-esteem and my view of who I was as a person. Talk about idols! I feel like we let so much of our day to day life slip by trying to grab all the wrong things around us. I feel like I should have been more content. More appreciative of the blessings we did have. I should not have compared. It is hard not too.

I have heard that too from some of the residents here that used to live in Dallas, that they compared there and felt driven to get more and feel calmer here. ( I think the MILLIONS of trees have something to do with it too) :)

I said to someone the other day how different it was here. And they said,"No, It's just not North Dallas. I always heard on the news about the greatest cities and "pressure" cities, Dallas was always one of them. I see it now. I didn't really get it then. NOt to the extent I do now.
It seems like nothing was ever enough there.

It's nice just to be me. I feel happy here. Calm. Peaceful. Content.

Logan hasn't even had a fit and said," I don't have anything to wear." since we have been here. That used to be an every other day event. I am glad that they are more relaxed too.

I was telling my mom about it and she said," That's better for you." I don't really feel like its better, just different. I don't think one is better than the other, just different.

Trey's Aunt said she noticed the same thing when they moved from Plano to Raleigh. And my friend Angela said the same thing when they moved to Iowa.

It is interesting to me that just based on location how things can be so different.

I knew that God moved us here to take us on a journey and to change me, to grow me and to teach me. This is just one lesson along the way.