As a beautiful, bright orange full moon rose at 8:30 PM last Wednesday night, I was absolutely stunned by it’s beauty. I was walking onto our front porch and couldn’t believe my eyes. I slowly took a seat on the steps for a front row view. As I watched the moon rise, I began reflecting on all the things I have never seen or experienced- simple things like this- before our move to the country.

Yesterday was our 9th anniversary here. I have found myself reflecting more over the past few days on all the ways that God has blessed us by leading us here.

Blake practically had to drag me to just look at the house.

I was hoping for 1 acre, so a house with 24 acres that was 25 minutes “from town,” I wasn’t just real excited.

But reluctantly and prayerfully we went to look anyway.

Despite my … ahem… prayerful attitude, I complained all the way to the country. “Who would even come see us out here?” “How would I ever get to Kroger?!” “But our church is only 7 minutes away from where we live now.” On and on I went.

I was still griping when we arrived at the bottom of the long curvy driveway as Blake slowed the car, but miraculously I felt a peace about being there. I remember looking at Blake and saying “I can’t explain it, but I feel really good about this being our next home. “

I am sure Blake thought I was joking or needing a head exam after all of my ranting. But I felt just as stunned as the recent night when I watched the moon rise.

As I presently write, it is daybreak and our rooster is crowing. “Good morning to you too, Walt, and you’re a fine rooster caring for the flock each day.”

Here are some other wonderful things I didn’t know that I wouldn’t have known about country living 9 years ago:

• Beautiful sunsets. (Probably beautiful sunrises too but I’m rarely up and awake to see them!)
• Bats- Kind of a weird one to put on the list, I know, but they become active at dusk and swoop down all over the place and take care of at least some of our mosquitoes. (They eat 1000 mosquitoes in one hour!)
• Chickens- I had no idea the satisfaction of having fresh eggs into our home every day.
• Having a garden- I’m still working on figuring this one out, but it gets better every year!
• Lots of opportunities for the kids to work and hopefully to gain a work ethic.
• Bright stars on a clear night!
• Friends- they actually come out! And they say it’s actually fun to come out to the country! The kids have lots of room to play, and the adults seem to enjoy the peacefulness of sitting on the front porch swing.
• Pond swimming! I certainly didn’t do this as a kid, but our kids love it!
• Speaking of the pond – I didn’t know that it would be so hard to get Calvin (and occasionally the other kids) in from fishing to do school.
• Parties! Sometimes we have a lot of people over and there’s plenty of room to park, and to play.
• Cows! I didn’t know that I would enjoy watching cows graze the pasture. And our mama cow, Rosie, has given birth to a new calf 4 years in a row now!
• Cats! ((I know)) But most of the kids love them, and they even serve a purpose – catching mice (and moles).
• Country living. It has a slower pace and it has slowed us down.
• Blake! He likes being outside, and there’s always lots to do.

Well, maybe that helps give you an idea and a small glimpse into our “farm life”!

I grew up in Tampa and in Memphis, and we spent a lot of good years in Jackson too. But dang yall… I like it out here in the country. Yeee haaaa!!!

P.S. The past few days of country livin’ have included not one but TWO 3 foot snakes trying to get lunch in our chicken coop eating eggs. We have had some mice in the barn too and for some crazy reason a mouse in our glove compartment of our car- I am firing the cats if they don’t step up immediately! 😂