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nissag
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| Posted: May 09 2008 at 11:32am | IP Logged
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We're considering moving from Massachusetts to Kentucky. In fact, we're considering moving anywhere cheaper than here.  With the expectation of another child, in a place where farmland is scarce, and the cost of living is high - moving somewhere that eases our financial burden seems wise.
Why Kentucky? Well, why not? Actually, we did a list of places we'd like to go - separately - and we both had Kentucky at the top of our lists. Climate is better, lots of farmland, very Catholic, good diaconate program in both Lex diocese and Louis. diocese - and a Benedictine monastery not far away from Louisville. KY seems to be homeschool friendly, which is always a top priority. Unfortunately, homebirth seems to still be a little bit of an underground activity. 
But we have no experience of moving without help. The military always provided relocation info for us when we changed duty stations.
I'm a sponge ready to soak up any information you can offer.
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Nissa
Deacon's wife, mother of eleven, farmer, teacher, creator, cook.
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mama251ders
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A friend of mine lived in Kentucky until just about 2 years ago. They loved it there, but moved back up to Michigan to be closer to family. I have always thought that Kentucky was beautiful and full of wonderful history. You should check out the book Oh Kentucky! by Betty Layman Receveur. It won't help you move, but it will give you a huge love for that state! I'll be praying for you!
Blessings,
Betsie
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juststartn
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Kentucky *is* lovely (my mother's family is from outside of Louisville (E-town and the surrounding area) and she still owns the family farm out there (sorry, its been rented for years  ).
That being said, Ky is a scary place to live on several fronts. CPS being one of them.
Now, I don't know what you think of Oklahoma, but we just relocated here (thank you, Uncle Sam! Retirement moves ROCK), and LOVE it! Clear Creek Monastery is here, there are at least a few orders of sisters around here, and the Tulsa diocese, at least, appears to be pretty orthodox. The Catholic population is not as large, but hey, we could use a few more good Catholics in the pews (and filling the pews, iykwim, lol).
The terrain is simply lovely here (we thought south of OKC would be too flat and treeless for us, and we couldn't be more wrong!). There's LOTS of land for sale out here, and depending on how much you want, etc, well, that would depend on the price tag. Homeschooling is very very easy, too.
Not to mention, I could use some more company out here...lol.
Rachel
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nissag
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| Posted: May 09 2008 at 4:41pm | IP Logged
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juststartn wrote:
That being said, Ky is a scary place to live on several fronts. CPS being one of them.
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I assume that CPS is "child protective services"? What's the deal in KY? Are they indiscriminate about picking on folks?
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Nissa
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juststartn
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Trying to remember where I read/saw it--there was a link to one of those "expose" type news shows--several "shadowed out for their protection" type CPS (Child Protective Services) workers--both current and former--talking about how their agencies would go after certain families because they knew that they could adopt out the children--that one family was even targeted because someone made allegations, and said "I'll take those kids"...they race thru the parental rights terminations to adopt children out faster than reasonable--even if the potential adoptive parents are abusive, drug addicts, etc. One county had an 80% adoption rate...EIGHTY PERCENT!!!! 
No thanks. Love the state, but having been thru a small run-in with them (CPS) last summer in NC(which scared me senseless, with DH gone, and me all alone), well, I'm not willing to put myself in a place where that is frequently the case...
Rachel
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wifemommy
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http://www.wlky.com/target32/index.html Scr oll down the page on bottom left there are 2 videos about the CPS issue. Other then that "minor" detail I loved Kentucky I grew up there and wouldn't mind moving back someday. Annie
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Paula in MN
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Did you ever think of a move farther...west? and north?
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 Paula
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nissag
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| Posted: May 10 2008 at 7:16am | IP Logged
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Like maybe... Minnesota?
I don't think I could take any more cold. I think I'm getting old. Massachusetts winters are killing me. I love the four seasons - which Kentucky has to a much lesser degree than NE. Sounds perfect to me.
Y'all get snow in August in MN, don't you?
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Nissa
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Paula in MN
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August?? Nah, April!! 
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Donna Marie
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Hey Nissa!
Let us know what you decide...we may join you I always did want to share a fence with you where we could gab...haha
We have seriously considered just south of State College in Pa and Virginia. We are longing for a few acres and a nice piece of country where there is a faithful parish and it actually gets dark at night
Our little town has gotten so big. We feel like we love what it once was instead of what it is now...
God love you!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 7dc +one more due 10/08!
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God love you!
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nissag
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Well come on, sister. What are you waiting for?
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Nissa
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hopalenik
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KY is nice. I lived on the other side of the OH river in Cincinati, Oh as a child. KY has been very good about bringing in business and such by not taxing like OH did and suprise, surprise people are moving from OH to KY.
Don't know much about social services, but considering that there was a problem with in marriage and stuff amongst the Applachian population when I was little, it would not surprise me that the CPS is aggressive...
Connecticut is nice. And the friary down in Preston is lovely!
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monica
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i have been a kentuckian since 1983. i love it. it truley is one of the most beautiful places i have ever been to. my parents live south of lex and though there has been terrible sprawl, there are still many beautiful farms. i had my babies in a hospital, but i know several women who have had homebirths with midwives, the not CNM but LNM, if i am remembering the abbreviations right. i cant say what the churches are like, but i have been the abbey at gethsemane (where thomas merton was) several times.
i highly recommend it!
monica
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Barbara C.
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My husband and I were both born and raised in Kentucky. I don't have much time to write right now--new baby and all. I would recommend Hardin County (Elizabethtown) area. Not too far from Ft. Knox. Relative concentration of Catholics outside of the three big cities (Louisville, Lexington, and Owensboro). Lots of rural area, but not to far from Louisville. And there are some Catholic homeschoolers in that area (including my friend Kelly who contributes to the Visits to Candyland blog with Elena).
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juststartn
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My mom grew up outside of E-town. Actually, closer to Glendale and Cecilia, if you know where those are, Barbara. We still have some family in Louisville, Hardinsburg, etc. Used to have more, but they've either moved or died  .
It really is a beautiful area--had my mother been willing, DH and I were very interested in settling up there. SHe still owns the family farm there, although its rented out...and the house...
It makes me sad. Neither of my sisters are interested in living there, and DH and I are not interested in moving again, this is *the* place. Which means that, at some point, it will be sold off. Unfortunately. I wish I could sell it to you all, Nissa (but its not mine to sell). Its a lovely place. OLLLLD house, some out buildings, big old oak trees....lots of history there...my mom got married in the parlor. My grand-dad died there in the yard...
Anyway, enough maudlin thinking for tonight. I do hope you find something lovely. This area of OK reminds me a good deal of that area of KY. Hilly, good trees....horses. LOL.
I'll be praying something good turns up soon, Nissa...
(And Barbara, congrats on your newest wee one!)
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bestill
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I live in Lexington Kentucky. We have a very strong Catholic core community here. A very active Catholic homeschool group also. Currently our vocations program is one of the top in the nation.
We love living in Kentucky. Beautiful, friendly, Catholic friendly and yes a little cheaper than the rest of the world!
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SarahA
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I grew up in southern Indiana right across the border, but migrated down there for college...where I met my husband. He did most of his growing up in western KY. It is definitely cheaper, and a great place for outdoorsy people, especially hikers, hunters and fishers.
The areas you mentioned (near Louisville and Lexington) are way more Catholic than the rest of the state (other than Owensboro, which is a nice little city in the northwestern part of the state bordering Indiana). My husband was raised in western KY, and other than some Catholics in Paducah, there are not many "Catholic" communities. LOTS of Baptist, Church of Christ, etc. Somehow, though, the pockets of Catholics seem very devoted, maybe moreso becuase they are so outnumbered. We both "swam the Tiber" there in a tiny Catholic church, where at one time 1 priest took care of 3 parishes near Kentucky Lake. However, several of our VERY Catholic influences had grown around Lexington, Louisville, and Owensboro.
I haven't looked at the scary CPS story, but that may be only in certain parts of the state. My mother-in-law never mentioned any problems with it (she was a single mom of 6 children--not Catholic, though  ) She went on to become a social worker there, which probably wouldn't have happened if she'd had negative experiences.
You definitely get the seasons--not bitterly cold winter but some snow, pretty spring, humid summer, and very lovely fall.
The one thing we aren't crazy about is the lack of diversity--very white-bread boring (one of the reasons we won't settle down in the region where my husband grew up). Louisville is probably the best place for a broader cultural spectrum.
Oh yeah, and be sure to pronounce it correctly--it is not "Lewisville", but "Lullvull".  However, the double l's in the "lull" part are nearly dropped out of existence...I just can't think of how to phonetically write out the correct sound.
We're getting ready for a big military move and after the flight will be driving from Cali to NC--I can't wait to stop and visit our friends and family in KY (after my parents in IN). Although I was raised across the border, I probably consider KY more my home...maybe 'cause I married into it!
Happy house/land hunting!
Sarah
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Barbara C.
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I was born and raised in Louisville. My husband grew up in Horse Cave which is right next to Mammoth Cave. We went to college and lived in Bowling Green. And I just learned where Cecilia was because that's where the aforementioned Kelly moved to. (She grew up in the area around Elizabethtown.)
Sarah makes good points about the lack of Catholics outside the big three cities, especially Louisville. You also get a lot of the anti-Catholic rhetoric, as I found out in college. She is also right about the lack of diversity. Most people are non-distinctly white; one thing we like about living outside Chicago is all of the ethnicity that even the white people have. There were many Bosnians and Vietnamese being transported through rural Kentucky about ten years ago, and that did start diversifying things a bit.
I should also warn you that outside of Louisville, everyone bleeds blue, as in the University of Kentucky. (In Louisville we had a UL, UK, and IU split.) It can get to the point of being really obnoxious. Even most sports press will admit that UK has some of the most obnoxious fans, barring my wonderful grandfather-in-law. (I root for Western Kentucky University; go Big Red!)
I've never homeschooled in Kentucky, but I'm sure that you could check out the HSLDA website for information on past problems. I've noticed that some areas of any state are more prone to problems than others.
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Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
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juststartn
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Barbara, my mom went to WKU. So did her mom. Considered going there myself, but stayed home (in GA)instead...
The area around Cecilia is particularly pretty--or it used to be--I've not been there since the fall of 2001. Unfortunately.
Rachel
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wifemommy
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Ya'll are making me homesick ....Annie
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Kentuckians
