Happy Thoughts

My heart sighs in contentment when I glance out my kitchen window and see my children swaying back and forth on the tire swing. For a long time I've had a deep-felt desire to raise my children under the branches of old trees. I'm so happy here.

The window above my bed is located less than 2 feet from the towering trunk of an ancient elm tree. The leaves dance in the wind and make the dappled sunlight on my pillow bid a cheerful 'good morning'. I love looking out my window!

Daniel sets off exploring our property for 'nature treasures' each day. Earlier this month he caught a walking stick bug. He brought it home for a pet and named it "Chopstick".

I feel so fulfilled when I watch my children set off into the pasture on grand adventures together. They astound me sometimes. They prefer walking in their bare feet, even though the ground is covered with various brambles, insects, and sharp sticks. The soles of their feet are often black as evidence of their travels. The skin on their feet is getting thicker, like leather. It's so strange to watch Sarah walk in the pasture in her swaying white skirts, with her bare feet black from the dirt and a content smile on her face.

Our yard is huge, so there's finally enough room to play Badminton, frisbee, or Bocce. We LOVE having enough space to kick balls and play fetch with our dog. (Our last house had a teeny-tiny back yard, and we couldn't even kick a ball in our yard.)

Sarah was delighted to find another horse shoe hiding in the barn. She has four in her collection now, and she's convinced that she's the luckiest person in the county.

Nathan and the boys will often work on projects together. They worked as a team to put up our tire swing and start a tree house. I feel so happy when I watch our boys learn how to use power tools with their Dad.

I LOVE hearing our roosters crow each day! It makes me feel so nostalgic. Our roosters are hilarious. They are often doing silly things worthy of a comedy show. They make me laugh almost every day. Their names are Mr. Doodle and Pavarotti. I love how their feathers shimmer in the sunlight.

I feel so safe on this property. In our old house, I couldn't let the children play in the front yard alone. It's a totally different world here. Our children can run all over our four acres without me worrying about kidnappers. Our property is completely fenced with a gate across the driveway. I love it!

The gated driveway is SO handy. I don't have to ever answer my door to find salespeople. Our city house was bombarded by multiple sales pitches every day. Seriously.  I hate hurting people's feelings, so it was always so hard for me to tell them to go away. It's so peaceful here.

Last week I noticed an endangered species of bird taking a drink from our pond. We have been keeping our kiddie-pool stocked with water for the wildlife. Every day it's visited by squirrels, various birds (even hummingbirds), wild cats, and deer. I love being surrounded by God's creatures.

I feel a deep contentment here that is hard to describe. Our whole family is so happy here. I'm SO thankful that I can raise my children in the country!