This past week was Carnival Days in our small town. I wasn't sure what to think as the event approached. For some reason, I couldn't imagine a bunch of huge, brightly colored carnival rides filling the few streets of this town. I was even more surprised when I learned that it's also a three day event. (Keep in mind, I'm not a huge fan of carnivals...from the people to the rides themselves, I'm just a little freaked out by the whole thing.)
But on the first night, we loaded up our kids in sweatshirts and jeans and an umbrella and away we went. Games for kids kicked off the event and we had a blast. I love watching my children make new friends. It seems so easy at the age of five. Following the games, we hit the rides and games. I felt like a mom who's got it all figured out, it was a postcard-perfect evening.
The next night was much of the same. Grandma's and grandpa's, parents, relatives and friends watched as their kids raced around from ride to ride, sometimes with their friends, sometimes with an adult...the magic was repeated again the third night.
What I realized this morning after finally catching up on some sleep is that it wasn't just a carnival. It was a clear and perfect example of how this town is working to preserve something very special. It's about families spending real time together. A community coming together to celebrate just being there. Enjoying this "Good Life" that Nebraskans supposedly live by. And in this case, it was very true. That 50's type of nostalgia isn't dead here. In fact, it's very much alive and I'm so excited to be apart of it, and raise my kids in it.
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