I LOVE where we live!

I live in a itty bitty town in the mountains in western Virginia (no not West Virginia, westERN Virginia lol) I can look in any direction and see beautiful rolling mountains. When it gets pretty outside, I will have to go take pictures and post them. I love that I get to raise my kids here, it's where I was raised (and lets face it...i turned out pretty well lol).

Anyways, my town, it has 1 little stoplight in it, we have a McDonalds (but its honestly relativly new lol) and we have a few restraunts around, and 3 little gas stations....oh and we have a IGA (grocery store) and a Family Dollar. But what really gets me, is I can go just about anywhere in town and SOMEONE will recognize me...either as myself, or as so and so's daughter or granddaughter! It happened today when I took Jeffery to get his haircut...a gentleman inside goes "you don't recognize me do you?" I looked at him for a second and go "no, I cant say that I do" and he goes "you're Amos' daughter right?" (I've come to love hearing that, my dad is a well respected man in this town...I love being associated with him like that....maybe I'm weird.) so of course my answer is "yes" and he goes on to tell me his kids' names....I went to school with his kids!!! I haven't seen them in YEARS AND YEARS!!! But apparently these people have been keeping up with me, they knew I moved back into the same subdivision as they live, and asked about me, asked about my dad and I found out their daughter is expecting her first baby, and we caught up for a few min, I introduced them to Jeffery, and pulled out a picture of Jaylin, and poked out my belly telling them I'm expecting #3....they were soooo into hearing all of it, and I was so thrilled hearing about old friends!

I try to stay as active in my community as possible...I'm a member of the Beautification Committee of Shenandoah, I try to attend Parks & Recs meetings, I'm now a member of Shutterbugs in town, and I keep up with local politics....one day I hope to be able to run for council or Mayor and make a difference in my town. My dad and Jeff cut down a TON of trees for a ballfield in the local park, I put together a Womanless Beauty Pageant to raise money for that same park (just recently got the swings put up....took almost 3years!) and my dad is currently helping put a bike trail through the park as well. I like it that my kids will grow up in this town, and when they get older people will go "aren't you Jackie's son/daughter?" and hopefully they can take pride in it when they say "yes"

I just had to tell my story for the day....It felt good running into people and being recognized like that...it happens more than I talk about....happens AT LEAST once a week! Or someone will recognize me and I have no idea who they are lol...but I still smile and wave and say hi back to them! I love my small town!!! Also, news travels FAST, once I told people I was pregnant, most of the town knew by the end of the week, if not sooner!!!