There are no amount of words to describe my background, my culture, my (previous Texas) love. I was born in a very small town in South Dakota. And unless you are the other 9 people that live in this state, there is no way for me to be able to tell you what it is like to live in what my dad would call “God’s Country.” Life is simple. Living is easy. Love comes abundantly. There is really nothing to do, except form and feed relationships with others and maybe a board game here and there. You are not only best friends with the youngest member of the community all the way to the oldest, but also family. Open doors, encouragement, support, faith, love and understanding are unwavering. Everyone is like you. You never have to worry about offending anyone or upsetting someone because they all feel the way you do. Everyone is Christian, has a dog and has a love for their neighbors and nature. Our closest “big town” or grocery store was an hour away and our closest neighbor was 2 miles away. When it snowed 6 feet the night before, you can be certain you will be going to school… Probably with no electricity. Only to come home, to a list of chores (“one dot, two dot…”) that needed to be done on the farm. There is no need to lock your house or your car door. When opening a window in your home, the cool, fresh breeze that comes off the wheat fields is enough to make you instantly praise God for his creations. As a child, work ethic is different there; you don’t do it to get money or to gain privileges. You did it because you are part of a family that works together and to keep things running smoothly, everyone needed to pitch in. Marriages stayed together. Families stuck together. I am honored to tell you, that I also have 3 of the most amazing big brothers any sister could ask for! Yes you are correct, I am the baby and the only girl! They call me the “oops!” It was the perfect life!

When I was 13, my mom and dad called us into the living room. I remember my mom crying and dad calmly telling us that we would be moving to Texas. Jeremy and Jerad, my 2 oldest brothers were out of high school and in college so it didn’t affect them directly. Justin who was going to be a junior in high school, quietly walked to his room and stayed there the entire evening. I, on the other hand, burst into tears and started begging both of them to change their minds.

I have had just the perfect counselors in my life at the right time. I remember taking “Midweek Classes” with our pastor’s wife. She would do a “Mrs. Wise Counselor” where we could ask her any question we wanted. I asked her “why God would want me to move away from South Dakota?” Her response was lengthy but one point I can easily remember is she said “maybe that is where your future husband is.” At 13, I really didn’t care about that and besides there are plenty of guys in SD! Right? (I may not get to this point later, but I, along with my parents agree that the reason we moved to Texas was for me to meet and marry Scott. He is just that good!)

My first thought of Texas- Most “Texans” say “yeah you probably thought we road horses to school everyday.” Well, that may be true for some states but a little South Dakota farm girl thinks- gangs. I thought I would never be able to wear red and black again. Thankfully, I was far from right!

August 1996 came. The moving van came and loaded up my childhood. Threw it in the back of a giant 18-wheeler like it had no significance at all. I remember vividly standing in the yard with our closest friends, watching it drive down our long dirt driveway. We loaded up our 120 pound yellow lab into our white Lincoln Town Car and started our 18 hour drive to Texas. I was crying out to mom “Stop, it’s not too late, it’s not too late, turn around, mom!” My life at that moment became far from perfect.

We arrived to Texas on a Saturday and I kid you not… Mom not only made us to go church the next day but also to Sunday School! Well, there awaited my future spouse and I knew it. He made me laugh with such ease and had a heart of gold that could be felt with just a “hello!”

I don’t know Texas without Scott. He has been by my side since I was 13. We grew up together, teaching each other how to be a perfect spouse to the other. Our parents were our own parents. We were best friends! Back to a perfect life!

God intervened.

In His Grip.

Lindsey