Think Outside. No Box Required.

Everyone says "Oh, just wait until summer." Yeah, well I've lived through 34 Kansas summers. It gets ridiculous hot and it's 90% humidity. So I'm not worried. But here's what I have learned thus far about desert living.

• Hydration must increase. It's just plain DRY here. (duh) I drink more water than I ever dreamed possible, and I still thirst for more.
• The dryness has made my skin and hair both happy and angry. My hair stays put now (no humidity to kill it).  But I had to switch shampoos because it was drying out and breaking! My skin is literally peeling off my hands, feet and face. The "scales" require a LOT of moisturizing lotion.
• I sleep in practically nothing. I have NEVER slept in so little. Not necessarily because it's hot (the house is very cool and comfy), but just because you simply don't NEED pajama pants, long sleeves and socks! We brought so many blankets and clothes we'll never need it's ridiculous. Oh the money we could have saved on that moving truck if we'd had more than 3 days to think!
• I LOVE LOVE LOVE the sunshine. I'm like a cat curling up in it as it streams into my windows EVERY morning. Weekends are the best. It streams in, I snuggle into my hubby and it feels like 10am when it's really 7 and we have the whole day ahead of us to enjoy.
• There's very little indoor seating at restaurants. Who would WANT to sit indoors when you can be on the patio in the fresh air?
• Salt used to be for ice melt. Now it rims my (skinny) margarita glass!
• The sound of the hot air balloons firing when they're in close range is as majestic as the sound of goose wings flapping as they fly overhead in the Midwest. I close my eyes and listen to the flame, and it's mesmerizing.
• The mountain views do NOT wear off. Everyone admits this. It's miraculous every day to look around and be surrounded by such beauty.
• There's very little carpet here. It's all tile. And it's amazing for allergy maintenance.
• Very few people bake. I made chocolate chip bars today and every kid in the neighborhood was like "WHOA!" Ovens don't so much register for people here. We're grillers now.
• The local farmers market is AMAZING. Fresh food is ALWAYS in season here. I LIVE on the fresh produce available at any moment.
• It's a slower pace. People enjoy what the landscape offers, and they are unapologetic about it. They take Fridays off (HOLLA!) and they stay out late, get up early, live outside, have cul de sac crews on weekends, and we rarely see our kids because they're outside playing. It's a different mindset. One that I enjoy very much.

Here, we think outside. No box required. I'm so glad we followed our hearts instead of our heads, shushed the excuses and listened to where God was calling us (all credit to my hubby for that - I'm not a risk taker much!). A month ago, I was a Kansan. And I guess at heart I always will be. But I'm getting used to thinking outside.