"I'm coming home/ made up my mind that's what I'm going to do/ Can't love nobody on the telephone/ I'm coming home to you"

Please don’t make me get in another vehicle for at least a month!!! I love to travel but I have to say that Ben and I are worn out. Christmas always brings lots of to and fro. But now that it’s January I’m ready for our cars and behinds to have a break. Just this past week I was in Huntsville three days in a row and then we went to my home town for the weekend, then Monday I was back in Huntsville!!! And to top it off I have a cold which is draining me of what little energy I had. God tells us to take a day of rest however; I’m tempted to take 10 in a row.

I say traveling to Huntsville three days in a row wore me out but honestly, when we first moved to Scottsboro, I thought I’d be there all the time. I assumed I’d still head to Publix for my groceries instead of facing my arch enemy Wal-Mart. Plus there is the wonderful world of Costco and my favorite nurseries: the Greenery and Bennett’s, all in Huntsville. How can I neglect the library? Though the Huntsville Library is not my favorite because of its dark 70s interior, it is stilled filled with a wealth of books. The first time I went to Scottsboro’s library I cried on the way home. It was so miniscule I really couldn’t believe it. Maybe this was a big deal to me because as a child the library was a favorite outing. Covington’s library was a world of magic, learning, and discovery with many books and sweet librarians always willing to help us. Ever since I have had a fondness for libraries which has only grown with time.

Yet I still don’t make it to Huntsville very often. I guess I’ve learned to conqueror monstrous Wal-Mart, though I still hate every minute of it. And I find the produce stands here in Scottsboro quite suffice. I’ve even enjoyed finding new little local shops. My favorite haunts include: Unique Treasures with its great selection of affordable antiques, Wimberley House for its wealth of cute décor, Unclaimed Baggage because, well…it’s Unclaimed Baggage, Goody Too Shoes with all their wonderful clothes, and a few others. And I can’t leave out Hammer’s. Some people might not believe me when I say I sometimes enjoy shopping in Scottsboro!

I can’t say I’m country and I worried that I wouldn’t fit-in in Scottsboro. But I’ve met the most fabulous people in our community. Our church is a big part of why we moved to Scottsboro in the first place. I can’t praise Riverside Community Church enough. Ben and I have found a home there and are thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful group of believers. I also love our street with so many friendly neighbors and families out in their yards together. I might not be the typical Scottsboro resident but who is “typical”? Our friends accept me as I am which makes me feel right at home.

I’ve learned that even though Scottsboro is small and rural it has some great things to offer. I still am longing for better restaurants, a nice grocery store, and a Chick-fil-A. I would also love to see a higher value placed on cultural items and the arts. But no town is perfect and I truly believe this is where Ben and I are supposed to be. I’m learning to feel at home here and really enjoy what North Alabama has to offer. However, I do still get misty eyed when I go to the library. I suppose that’s how it always is: the good with the bad. I worry that my children won’t have the same experiences I did, but I’m learning that’s ok, they’ll have their own…maybe Chattanooga has the magical library I’m longing for and it’s only a day trip away.