This Is Why We Do It

Despite having neighbors living quite close to us, living out here in the country can feel pretty isolating sometimes.  Especially during the long Michigan winters.  When the roads aren't full of snow it still takes us 40 minutes to drive to church, nearly 20 minutes to get to the nearest grocery store, and half an hour to visit the beach I love so much.

But I was recently reminded of why we live where we do.

Despite not sleeping well due to Oliver still waking up during the night, which makes me feel like a zombie pretty much every day, I have fallen into a loose routine with the kids.  

During Oliver's first nap I've often been taking Adeline outside to either just run around and play or to have her tag along while I putter around the garden and landscaping.  She loves to help us in the garden, especially when we're gathering produce.  I'll pick some tomatoes, hand them to Adeline, and she chucks them into a bucket.  She eventually wanders away to search for fruit on our tiny raspberry bushes, pick a flower, or inspect a bug.  Pretty soon she comes toddling back and throws more tomatoes into the bucket for me.

During our time in the garden I started to wonder if this simple task of picking tomatoes will be one of those childhood memories she'll recall fondly when she's older.  Will she look back and appreciate how she grew up?

Because this is why we live where we do, why we make it work financially so that I can stay home with the kids, and why we plan to homeschool.

So our kids can have room to run around, explore, and use their imaginations.  

So we can grow our own vegetables, plant fruit trees, and use our land as we wish.  

So we can teach our kids seemingly simple things (how to cook, do laundry, clean the house, make things with their hands, take care of plants) that are just as important as typical school subjects.  

So our kids can have a slower paced childhood that allows their brains to grown, learn, and develop without the imposition of rigid schedules and sitting at a desk all day.  

So we can give them a firm foundation of faith.

We live the way we do because we choose to, because it's important to us, because these are the things we value for our children.

And because it's just so cute to watch Adeline run down the hill in her yellow rain boots while excitedly shouting, "Pick 'matoes!!  Pick snack peas!!  Pick raspberries!!"

Adeline is always collecting things outside.  Sticks, pinecones, rocks, and whatever else she can find.