one year ago today, we rolled into grand forks, north dakota, in a van filled with ikea furniture, pencil skirts, and entirely not enough sweaters. i didn't know what a combine was or how to frost a cake, and part of me thought that i could get around by foot and bike alone. 

today my closet is filled with flannel shirts, frosting-stained overalls, and boots that are still damp from yesterday's romp through a sugar beet field. i don't have a bike yet, but driving on the always-trafficless highway listening to minnesota public radio might be my new favorite hobby.

out our window, some corn stalks in our garden have grown just tall enough to say hello and giggle at us in our underpants because... for the first time in my adult life, this year has meant no roommates. 

with one year under my belt, i've found myself morphing my introduction from "i just moved to the midwest from brooklyn," to a plain and simple, "i live in the midwest."

it feels good. settled. it makes me all smiley and ready to get married and stuff. 

one percent of me still craves a bagel and lox at all hours of the day, but heavens me, if this past year is any indication of what my future in the midwest holds, i am so gosh darn excited.

(someone stop me before i get too mushy.)

happy anniversary, mister midwest and me! i'm gonna go stand outside and let you bite me with all the mosquitos you got!

-yeh!!!