The boys absolutely love our very large yard. Most days they spend at least 2-3 hours a day out there. It is great for them. They love living near family that loves on them. Just yesterday my dad took the boys fishing in a boat on the river. I hear it was quite comical - Brady in a boat trying to be still and quiet :)
We love the slow pace of life. Our whole family loves to be at home so this is not necessarily different than being in a city for us. We spend lots of days at home and we love it. The boys still use their imagination every day - their age has not changed this a bit. What they do with it has just changed. Some days they are building a house in the top of a magnolia tree, others they are searching for treasures and even one day they got to be "firemen" with John while he burned a HUGE brush pile. Life in the country speaks to our boys hearts. We love that!!
There are other things that we struggle with that haven't been issues in our lives since we lived away from here - racial segregation for one. This hurts my heart so much. John and I have such a desire to cross the racial barriers but haven't quite found the way just yet. honestly it runs deep on both sides but is kinda dismissed by people with an "I don't have anything against......people." Sad since we will stand before God and worship Him throughout eternity right next to every nation and tribe
On a personal note , my heart is bent toward simplicity right now. I hate that word because it is so popular right now but it really is the truth. More and more each day I am convinced that there are so many things I can give my time to but I have to choose what is best. I have been asking the Lord to make that clear to our family and slowly He is. I want to know that at the end of my life I ran the race He set before me and that I cast away distractions that really won't matter in the end. This is not just regarding who I invest my time and energies with but what I do with them. So I am very introspective right now. It is winter in my heart :).
maybe pics soon. This weekend my oldest will be 8. He is such a delight. I absolutely love spending time with him and watching him learn. I ask him if he would rather have a birthday party or a special family time my sweetheart chose time with just the family. He is quite the family man/homebody. So we are headed to Atlanta for a day at the Aquarium. And of course a quick stop in IKEA. We miss it being right down the road :)
