Where do I even begin?

You know, having never had a blog before, I never really knew how difficult it might be to come up with things to write, let alone write them frequently enough. I'm sure many readers are curious about our little growing gummy bear, but I'm quite sure I want our blog to be more than just that.

As I reflect on our lives here in Lincoln they do seem a little drab , and I hesitate to bore everyone with a daily dose of "today I ate breakfast, then I scraped a squashed grape off the kitchen floor. After that I went to work, sat in front of a computer for 8 hours, came home and promptly fell asleep on the couch" Although, the squashed grape would be a highlight no one would want to miss.

But I digress... surely there are things we are doing here, experiencing here, that would be of interest to all those dear friends far away who were just sure we were moving to the middle of nowhere (that IS how Washingtonians refer to the Midwest after all, isn't it?) Yes, yes we have had some fun times discovering our new home, but where do I start? The beginning you say? Sounds like as good a place as any.

Without further adieu, lessons learned by the Hnoskos in Lincoln, Nebraska

1. It is possible to drive across the country in the wintertime, although we don't suggest it (and I doubt Rachel and Gary do either). Thank the Lord for our Subaru. Without it I don't know if we would have made it across (what was it Jonathan?) 5+ mountain passes.

2. Contrary to popular belief, most things are more expensive in the Midwest, especially milk and fresh produce. Corn and beef, however, are very affordable. We miss Winco, but we quite enjoy our local Super-Saver.

3. Real estate, on the other hand, is a lot easier to come by over here. We adore our new home for which we may have paid a quarter of it's projected cost were it to be located in Western Washington. We quite possibly received a better deal than even that. And on the topic of saving money, yes, you too can mow your lawn burning calories instead of gasoline.

3. If you and your spouse, after prayerful consideration, decide it is indeed time to start your family, you should know that Midwestern drinking water is tainted. It contains high levels of estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone, the three of which make it incredibly easy to become pregnant. I caution you, if you once said to your spouse "we have plenty of time, no one gets it right on the first try", you may end up with your foot in your mouth and a baby in your uterus.
* stylistic note: causation has not scientifically been attributed to the drinking water.


Well, that should do it for now. Three great lessons learned by two new Nebraskans. I could go on about how Nebraskans (mid-westerners in general) tend to be more conservative than their coastal counterparts, or about how one should not trust nor eat fish which could not possibly have been swimming yesterday, but those are lessons for another time. Until then why don't you tell me what lessons you've learned in the places you've been!