‘Round These Parts
I suppose ‘getting settled’ time is over. Though, it’s hard for me to imagine a time in which our lives will calm back down. We’re getting used to our new home, but there is SO much to do, SO many possibilities, it’s as though we’re riding an endless wave, trying to balance on this boogie board of life.

playing in a creek

And Eliza is going through something. Sometimes when you’re a parent and you’re feeling like the child is out to get you it helps to look at pictures of their smiling face. This struggle will pass, and we’ll love each other more at the other end. And…she’s so cute.

bumbebee boots

The big girls are settling so well.
“Mom, I’m glad we moved out here.” Naomi says on her way back out the door with a snack for more exploring, “I have all I need.”
                                 I beam.
She & Leviah are so comfortable out here; they play in their rain boots nearly every day getting dirty and grimy and gross; is it silly to take pride in the filthiness of your children? ‘Cause I am…

playing in the mud with kids
And we did get chickens, 4 of them and ducks about a week ago from the Wicked Chicken auction we heard about from our neighbor. It takes every Sunday in Clayton, NC. A truly cultural experience. We have more chicks under the heat lamps right now, but are learning that life on a farm is much more real than the grocery store makes it seem. It’s muddy and grimy and cold and dark and sometimes very sad. We are the responsible caretakers and sometimes it’s out of our hands–sometimes our hands feel completely incapable when life is on the line. And death. Whew.
life on a farm

These kids are becoming so connected. It’s really only a connectedness the farmer-folk can know. A ‘circle of life’ connectedness–like hold your baby cub above your head on Pride Rock kind of thing. Life is a gift, even in a cat or a chick or a plant. These things don’t just happen.

Whew–got a little deeper than I intended, sometimes this ‘journaling’ gets away from me. But take your kids to a farmer. If they let you take your kids down to see the animals that make their food possible, or out in the gardens to pick a carrot…well, do it. Or be your farmer. Whatever it takes. Losing this ‘connectedness’ has got to have some influence on the high rates of depression and disillusion people feel. Life is a gift. These things don’t just happen.

So that’s what’s going on at the Grimstead of late. In case you’re wondering.

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