Bit by bit and little by little, you could say we are growing...except that it hasn't been exactly a little or a bit. Does the term "Just add water" mean anything? If a picture is worth a thousand words, then here is many thousands. Enjoy the story and the photos!!
Growing up I always had land to run and play on. My brothers and I would keep busy just by being outside.
I can't remember a time when we didn't have some kind of unique animal around: squirrel, snakes, rabbits, pigs, cows, of course horses,
a pet owl-it was white...I found it and put it in a box. I even had 2 pet alligators-that was something else. Always dogs and never a cat except once...then she wasn't...my Dad, who is a hunter of wild animals...deer, pig, bear, gator, brought me a little piglet(I named him Wilbur) and I raised it all the way till it was huge. I could even walk him around with a rope. I went on vacation with my cousin and came back...at breakfast everyone was laughing and then I realized...we were having bacon for breakfast. What a shame for me. I'm not a big meat eater still..LOL
I had lots of cousins to play with too. Jacque and I went on many adventures into the 'jungle'!! Our little brothers always wanted to come along, but we were too fast and got out the door from them every time. By the time they found us, we were up a tall oak tree and watched as they ran underneath looking for us! I had a best friend growing up named Julie. She and I did all kinds of things together. She was a country girl too. We knew each other since we were little, but in the 6th grade we became 'best friends'. We loved horses! She had a beautiful horse and a little Shetland pony, named Comet. And yes, he was a little comet...shooting to the right as I went to the left. It was too funny. Then my Dad got me a horse of my own. She was wonderful. Her name was Taquita. And she was as gorgeous as her name. I used to ride in the Silver Spurs Rodeo and in the local parades. That was so much fun. I was part of the quadrille, which is basically square dancing on horseback and I did a little bit of pole bending and barrel racing. I say that loosely...a little bit. But it was fun and an experience I'll never forget. One time in the quadrille I was knocked off my horse, right in the middle of the entire rodeo. Everything stopped. Here I am laying on the ground, my horse standing over me...a good horse does that, I got my breath, stood up, picked up my cowgirl hat and bowed graciously, tipping my hat at the crowd. I think I got a standing ovation. What made me do that, I do not know!
Country living is how I was raised.
(I clean up farely well...lol) It's always been in me and I'm amazed at how perfectly God has brought me back to it. In a way I never would have imagined. With my own husband and our precious children.
Living out in the country again, I can show our children the ways I was taught and give them another part of me. Something I thought was forgotten. I'm so inspired to see them responding, interacting and giving, the way they do. They seem to love it as much as I did. As much as I still do. It's a serene way to live and a very different lifestyle from today's modern life, but I don't care. It's away from so much 'stuff' that really doesn't matter anyway. You could say we're not exposing them to what goes on in the world. I say you're right! They ARE missing a lot...negative political views, alternative lifestyles, entertainment choices, peer pressure...we are keeping them from that. They will learn the facts of humanity, economics and government issues when the time is right. Just right now isn't the time. We know whose shoulders the government is on. They must be kids and live life to the fullest...God said, "I've come that you might have life and have it more abundantly!" That's what we are doing. That's how we're living!! More ABUNDANTLY!! Thank You Lord...for your ways are higher than ours.
I can't remember a time when we didn't have some kind of unique animal around: squirrel, snakes, rabbits, pigs, cows, of course horses,
a pet owl-it was white...I found it and put it in a box. I even had 2 pet alligators-that was something else. Always dogs and never a cat except once...then she wasn't...my Dad, who is a hunter of wild animals...deer, pig, bear, gator, brought me a little piglet(I named him Wilbur) and I raised it all the way till it was huge. I could even walk him around with a rope. I went on vacation with my cousin and came back...at breakfast everyone was laughing and then I realized...we were having bacon for breakfast. What a shame for me. I'm not a big meat eater still..LOL
I had lots of cousins to play with too. Jacque and I went on many adventures into the 'jungle'!! Our little brothers always wanted to come along, but we were too fast and got out the door from them every time. By the time they found us, we were up a tall oak tree and watched as they ran underneath looking for us! I had a best friend growing up named Julie. She and I did all kinds of things together. She was a country girl too. We knew each other since we were little, but in the 6th grade we became 'best friends'. We loved horses! She had a beautiful horse and a little Shetland pony, named Comet. And yes, he was a little comet...shooting to the right as I went to the left. It was too funny. Then my Dad got me a horse of my own. She was wonderful. Her name was Taquita. And she was as gorgeous as her name. I used to ride in the Silver Spurs Rodeo and in the local parades. That was so much fun. I was part of the quadrille, which is basically square dancing on horseback and I did a little bit of pole bending and barrel racing. I say that loosely...a little bit. But it was fun and an experience I'll never forget. One time in the quadrille I was knocked off my horse, right in the middle of the entire rodeo. Everything stopped. Here I am laying on the ground, my horse standing over me...a good horse does that, I got my breath, stood up, picked up my cowgirl hat and bowed graciously, tipping my hat at the crowd. I think I got a standing ovation. What made me do that, I do not know! 
Country living is how I was raised. (I clean up farely well...lol) It's always been in me and I'm amazed at how perfectly God has brought me back to it. In a way I never would have imagined. With my own husband and our precious children.
Living out in the country again, I can show our children the ways I was taught and give them another part of me. Something I thought was forgotten. I'm so inspired to see them responding, interacting and giving, the way they do. They seem to love it as much as I did. As much as I still do. It's a serene way to live and a very different lifestyle from today's modern life, but I don't care. It's away from so much 'stuff' that really doesn't matter anyway. You could say we're not exposing them to what goes on in the world. I say you're right! They ARE missing a lot...negative political views, alternative lifestyles, entertainment choices, peer pressure...we are keeping them from that. They will learn the facts of humanity, economics and government issues when the time is right. Just right now isn't the time. We know whose shoulders the government is on. They must be kids and live life to the fullest...God said, "I've come that you might have life and have it more abundantly!" That's what we are doing. That's how we're living!! More ABUNDANTLY!! Thank You Lord...for your ways are higher than ours. 
