Iowa girl stands for two things for me. I was born in Winterset Iowa on a very hot July morning. Most people don’t know where Winterset, Iowa is. So let me tell you its central located in the state. Some people know it as John Wayne’s birthplace, covered bridges, the movie Bridges of Madison County. At a very young age my mom moved me to the big city of West Des Moines. She wanted me to have a opportunity to go to a big school and be a part of the city. I haven’t spoke much of my dad will he tagged along but not for very long. He decided to join the Army and move away and my mother and I stayed in Iowa and they got a divorce. Growing up in Iowa has been so much fun. 
When I was child I would go back to Winterset during the summers to visit my grandmother. My grandmothers were so opposite an many of ways. My moms mom wanted me to grow up and be a Godly Lady. my dads mom will I don’t know how to explain but we didn’t get along. Anyway I would spend the summer with them I would stay at one house and walk to my other grandmother’s house. On my way to there house I would pass by John Wayne’s house and set and think what would it be like to live there. I always get in trouble for daydreaming for I do it all the time. Why I was staying down there my cousins and I would go to the local pool and swim and meet new people. We would walk down to the square to shop and go to the ice cream parlor.
My Grandma Welch made a lot of home made food and it was good. I remember staying at her house and she would have fresh noodles hanging to dry out and that night she would make home made chicken and noodles with real mash potato’s. I liked going to her house but the one thing I didn’t like is that it was full of smoke and I always got sick from it. Sometime when I was there we would go out to my Uncle Lilbert and Aunt Sandy’s farm’ I loved going out there. My Aunt Sandy showed me a chicken dance with out its head‘. Uncle Lilbert would show me the baby pigs and his pride and joy was his calves. One faint memory I have about their farm is we were out visiting and my cousin David Jake was going out on a date and he took me on the four wheeler to go to the pasture to look for worms. He was going to take her out fishing.
Now my Grandma Overdyk was a Godly lady who had so much love. She always took me to church, VBS, camp meeting and would tell me stories about how God worked in her life and about her childhood. She wasn’t the best cook so we would go to Hardies or Northside Café. She taught me how to sew and cross words. Now the crazy thing about both grandmothers they were diabetics and love to test my blood sugar I thought it was very weird but allowed it.
After spending time with them I would go to a few VBS around town, go to summer school, summer camp and would get so excited when August came around. See in Iowa the big thing to do is go to the state fair. There is so much to do there but the best part is setting and watching the people and animals.I was your typical high school girl went to every football, basketball game. Got all dress up and went to every dance with my group of friends. On the weekends I would hang out with my church friends and go do crazy things. I was also involved in Bible quizzing.
After high school I went to Kirkwood community college where I started liking the Iowa Hawkeye’s. That is the second reason for the Iowa girl. I love watching football and I love it when they beat ISU or NU. I do have a second college team that I like and its ok because they are in a different division and very rarely ever play against each other and that is Oklahoma Sooners. Will I quit Kirkwood moved to Springfield, Mo where my mom married my step dad and with it I got three step sisters.
Now on to that subject which is long and I wont share all the details on that one. I was not up for sharing my mom at the time but know I would not change anything now. I have a step dad who loves me like his own. I got three very interesting step sisters. There is Holly who loves animals and her family. She wants to be a pink neck not a red neck. Holly is our pink princess but is very carrying. Then there is Heidi she is carrying and is a good listener. Hilary is the youngest of all of us girls. She is the one I go to when I want someone to pray for me. We have been friends for now twenty some years. When we all get together there is so much laugher and good times.
I went to cosmetology school and did hair for five years loved it but wanted a change. Now I am a teacher for three months to eighteen months and I have eight little ones. My babies teach me so much and I day is done there a couple times a week I spend time with youth at my church. Working in our youth group is a good challenge and one that I like. It is so rewarding to see these young ones growing up and start acting like adults. Besides working with the babies and teens I am in charge of sound and video, another good challenge and fun. It is a adventured when you try to make it go smoother and easier.
I like living in Iowa and getting all four seasons. I love how we have spring and see the crops being planted and the new baby animals. Summer the corn is high and its time to go out and swim, also good fishing weather. Fall the trees changing colors, bon fires, plus putting on a nice Iowa sweatshirt. Winter snow, ice skating, hot chocolate and watching movies. This is the life of the Iowa Girl.
