When we leave for our journey, being from families as spread out as ours, leaving isn’t just going on a trip; it’s saying goodbye to our first home as adults and a married couple. We have already planned our new home once we return, so I’m just going to take a few minutes to share our appreciation to the home that embraced us for a few years – Wisconsin.

I’ll miss a lot about America’s Dairy Land, from the fertile land with its delicious vegetables and cheese to the plethora of hikes and the connection people have with their environment. While I won’t lie and say we completely experienced all WI had to offer in the short 2.5 years we lived here, we got a nice little taste and are better for experiencing it.

I’ll  hold dear the memories of going to a Brewers game, being too hung over to go to a Brewers game, seeing Lambeau Field and teasing Badger fans. Drinking Spotted Cow at the Terrace and touring Door County wineries. Making a weekend of the first Eaux Claires music festival and the world’s largest airshow, EAA AirVenture, in Oshkosh. Trying but failing to comprehend what the hell is going on at House on the Rock and planning our future lawn decoration from Dr. Evermore’s creations.

I remember when I first crossed the Mississippi and saw the “Welcome to Wisconsin” sign. It was in May 2014, and in my opinion, the month when Wisconsin’s beauty is at its peak. Everything is the rich green of baby crops promising a delicious summer ahead. I’d driven from my mom’s place in Toas, NM which took me through Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa before crossing the final state line. No offense to the breadbasket of America, but when I got off the bridge and laid eyes on the majestic hills and bluffs set against the backdrop of bright blue skies with white puffy clouds – I was sold. I remember thinking how convenient it was that I was dragging my southern boyfriend up from North Carolina to the home of the Frozen Tundra at a time like that. The picturesque fertile American farmland, complete with dairy cows grazing next to red barns, makes it pretty difficult to worry about the impending winter.

We found an apartment in Madison on the far west side. A stones throw from downtown, the numerous state and county parks that fill up the countryside, and expressways linking you to 3 great American metropolises. Getting to know Madison and its surrounding area took up much of our 2 years here. While it isn’t a giant city, it packs quite a bit in for its little package. There are 17 breweries and we still left with a list of restaurants we didn’t get a chance to eat at. Throughout the year you’ll have the chance to go to the Great Taste of the Midwest, the 2nd longest running craft beer fest, Brat Fest, the largest brat fest in the world, and at any given time go taste a variety of mustard at the National Mustard Museum, which boasts over 5,000 types on display – seeing a trend yet? Aside from the food and drink, there’s the Overture Center, The Orpheum Theatre, and a ton of other venues with a constant stream of entertainment including Broadway, lectures, comedians, and musicians working their way through the Midwest.

What we will really take with us are the people we met – from coworkers to teammates – that brought us into their home and took us out for Friday night fish fry. A lot of people come here and stay, or are born here and don’t see anywhere else worth living. I’ve gotta say, going to a wedding of our native Wisconsin friends, watching them exchange vows with a Spotted Cow in hand and cheese curds frying in the background, I can see why.

I do have some regrets. We didn’t get a chance to live here through a nice, snowy winter to appreciate some of the cross country skiing I’ve heard so much about at Blue Mounds or Devil’s Lake…though I’m not so sure that’s a regret Will agrees with, winter was not quite his favorite part. We never actually made it to a Packers game or to The Apostle Islands on Lake Superior. There will always be more to explore, and we hope to come back soon to experience it all.

It’s been a blast Wisconsin!