Not exactly the "country life" I had in mind. Although, since we're looking at a picture of it, this is some delicious butter. It's what I buy here and we use more of it than we probably should. It's a creamy English butter that we like to spread on toast, put on mashed potatoes, or smother over our veggies.
That's all well and good, but the country life I am getting at is the one my children dream about and love to talk about. They are constantly reminiscing about time in Indiana at their grandma and grandpa's. In fact, just this afternoon, Grant and I were on a walk with our dog, and he said, "I wish I was home". He was generally talking about being in Michigan, but then it quickly turned into Indiana talk again. Can't blame the kid. His grandma and grandpa along with about a gazillion cousins are there.
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Austin misses playing with Lance, Tony, and Adam, going fishing in Grandpa's pond, playing basketball and baseball, and hot dog roasts...
Braaten misses hanging with her cousins, Natalie, and Rachel to name a couple, playing house with the kitty cats as her babies, eating Grandma's cooking, and just being in Indiana where a kid can be free...
Melanie misses the same cousins, playing with lots and lots of kittens, riding a bike on Grandpa's driveway, giving Grandma hugs and swimming at the pond...
Grant misses playing in the mud, playing with Lexi and Adam, playing ball with the boys, riding bikes, and Grandma's cooking...
Cooper misses playing baseball with Lance, Adam, Kreigh, and Austin, running around, swimming, and eating Grandmas's cookies and her meals...
And they miss a bunch more than that.
Shawn misses his mom and dad and his family in general, playing with the kids in the yard, spending time with old friends, and just relaxing where he grew up...
As for me, I miss spending time with my sisters-in-law, April and Jill, seeing my nieces and nephews, also visiting with my cousins, hanging with all of the family, eating my MIL's cooking and not having to cook for awhile, and just seeing the joy that my kids experience while there.
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Country Life.
Have you ever seen the episode of "Little House on the Prairie" where Nellie calls Mary and Laura, "Country Girls" in a very derogatory way and with a really mean voice? Our kids don't mind being country kids at all. So there, Nellie!
Last summer I painted my mother-in-law's bead board in the kitchen.
Braaten on the front porch.
Melanie giving Nicole a kiss.
Braaten and Rachel on Grandma and Grandpa's paddle boat.
My cousin, Becky's, daughter, Anna, got married and we happened to be visiting at the time. It was a blessing to see her marry Tucker last August at Tim and Jill's home.
My little froggy boy, Grant, playing in the mud. Can you believe they set up a stand and sold this stuff to people driving by? I think they made a dollar.
Austin and Kreigh messing about at the pond.
We went to visit my in-laws' neighbor who had gotten a new horse.
Austin shooting hoops.
And last, but not least, the same picture I posted here with Paul and Leona ( I call them Mom and Dad) and our kids taken in August, 2008.
God has blessed us with so much. Our faith in Jesus Christ, family, friends, and lots and lots of good times.
10 comments:
Looks like happy times...will you get back there this summer?
Its hard to be so far from extended family. One of the reasons we felt like the timing was right for us to return to the states was to have more time with family, particularly our parents. I'm at my moms today-drove down yesterday for a couple of days. I'll see my sister and brother tonite and my nephew who just turned 3. I hardly know him and one of the things I look forward to is being closer now and having that chance.
Hope you and your kids will have cousin time this summer!
I can just try to imagine how difficult it is to be so far from home. Sounds like you have a very close family. And, I bet you play out what it will be like to move home again one day. But I also know it is a rich blessing to give your children and yourselves all the experiences of living abroad. Thanks for sharing your family here. Have a wonderful day today!!!
Oh, you brought tears to my eyes. Good butter is so hard to come by!
OK...I am just bringing brevity to the situation. OK. That's the old Wachter humor again. I know it hurts.
Seriously, you did have me all choked up. I do not take lightly the binds of family nor the joy we carry in our hearts called memories from the times we are blessed together.
I know it won't take away the sadness of being so far from ones you love...but there is joy in having ones to miss.I am sure they miss you all so much, too. It is so special to have a close knit family...and a place to go home to.
As the result of alcoholism and a very bad marriage, my siblings and I have no place to call home. I miss the grandparents and cousins that never will be as much as you miss the good cooking in your MIL kitchen.
Lest you think the Lord hasn't blessed...We have a step mother whom I adore and who loves us like her own...but the place we called home, for good or bad, is gone. My children will never know the pleasure of dreaming of a trip to grandma's for some home baked cookies and an afternoon of sitting in the mud with the cousins. And that is a homesickness all in itself.
Do the grandparents do email? It is not the same but it is easier to keep in touch now. I think. My sister was stationed over seas in the early 90's. Email was slow and not useful for keeping in touch at all. And calling overseas was impossible because it was so expensive. She was on a remote Island in the Pacific so there were literally two lines to the Island and it could take 3 days of dialing to get through ... Now, it is so much cheaper to call and if I want to pick up and dial... it will actually ring. Plus, there is email...we can send pictures and videos in seconds! I mean it is a different world.
As for Italy, my sister LOVES it. Yes, with our family being Italian and so soon from Italy (my dad was a first generation born American) we all desired to visit. My oldest brother was stationed on the same base for 5 years back in the 90's too. He still talks so fondly of Scicily and would go back in a heart beat if not for his son and our church here in good old Maryland.
Ben and Di have done a ton of traveling. As I said, it is such a weird concept. She is pregnant now, after 7 years of infertility (Praising God) and so they have slowed down and will probably stop traveling completely for a while. But they love the freedom of it. The fresh food. The family values. The friendly people.
We are saving so I can go for a visit when the baby comes. I can hardly wait... but it won't be like seeing Italy. It will be more like visiting Indianna... you know what I mean. Being with a new born I will be there to help out not sight see. I wouldn't have it any other way... I've waited my whole life for this...
Perhaps, my husband and I will go back some day before Ben and Di get transferred. I would like to see my family home and our vineyards. Ride a gondola. Picnic on the olive plantations of Mineo. The old building's don't do much for me but they people. Now that's what I love about travel. Different people and meeting them and hearing them.
That's kind of what I like about blogging, too:) Hey, I could make this my post of today...it has gotten so long. Is the CCD??? I am out of coffee... so I will stop talking you ear off.
Seriously, about the butter... good butter should not be underestimated. And that got me thinking, I bet you have good clotted cream??? We can't find that here in our little town. My daughter makes the BEST scones but we have had to resort to butter on them because no one carries clotted cream anymore. Some of the gourmet stores did for a while but I guess it didn't take with the locals because they stopped. It's better for my hips that way but...yum.
Hey, and don't you have some packing to do instead of sitting here reading this long rambling???
Oh, you brought tears to my eyes. Good butter is so hard to come by!
OK...I am just bringing brevity to the situation. OK. That's the old Wachter humor again. I know it hurts.
Seriously, you did have me all choked up. I do not take lightly the binds of family nor the joy we carry in our hearts called memories from the times we are blessed together.
I know it won't take away the sadness of being so far from ones you love...but there is joy in having ones to miss.I am sure they miss you all so much, too. It is so special to have a close knit family...and a place to go home to.
As the result of alcoholism and a very bad marriage, my siblings and I have no place to call home. I miss the grandparents and cousins that never will be as much as you miss the good cooking in your MIL kitchen.
Lest you think the Lord hasn't blessed...We have a step mother whom I adore and who loves us like her own...but the place we called home, for good or bad, is gone. My children will never know the pleasure of dreaming of a trip to grandma's for some home baked cookies and an afternoon of sitting in the mud with the cousins. And that is a homesickness all in itself.
Do the grandparents do email? It is not the same but it is easier to keep in touch now. I think. My sister was stationed over seas in the early 90's. Email was slow and not useful for keeping in touch at all. And calling overseas was impossible because it was so expensive. She was on a remote Island in the Pacific so there were literally two lines to the Island and it could take 3 days of dialing to get through ... Now, it is so much cheaper to call and if I want to pick up and dial... it will actually ring. Plus, there is email...we can send pictures and videos in seconds! I mean it is a different world.
As for Italy, my sister LOVES it. Yes, with our family being Italian and so soon from Italy (my dad was a first generation born American) we all desired to visit. My oldest brother was stationed on the same base for 5 years back in the 90's too. He still talks so fondly of Scicily and would go back in a heart beat if not for his son and our church here in good old Maryland.
Ben and Di have done a ton of traveling. As I said, it is such a weird concept. She is pregnant now, after 7 years of infertility (Praising God) and so they have slowed down and will probably stop traveling completely for a while. But they love the freedom of it. The fresh food. The family values. The friendly people.
We are saving so I can go for a visit when the baby comes. I can hardly wait... but it won't be like seeing Italy. It will be more like visiting Indianna... you know what I mean. Being with a new born I will be there to help out not sight see. I wouldn't have it any other way... I've waited my whole life for this...
Perhaps, my husband and I will go back some day before Ben and Di get transferred. I would like to see my family home and our vineyards. Ride a gondola. Picnic on the olive plantations of Mineo. The old building's don't do much for me but they people. Now that's what I love about travel. Different people and meeting them and hearing them.
That's kind of what I like about blogging, too:) Hey, I could make this my post of today...it has gotten so long. Is the CCD??? I am out of coffee... so I will stop talking you ear off.
Seriously, about the butter... good butter should not be underestimated. And that got me thinking, I bet you have good clotted cream??? We can't find that here in our little town. My daughter makes the BEST scones but we have had to resort to butter on them because no one carries clotted cream anymore. Some of the gourmet stores did for a while but I guess it didn't take with the locals because they stopped. It's better for my hips that way but...yum.
Hey, and don't you have some packing to do instead of sitting here reading this long rambling???
What great grandparents your kids have. I bet you're glad you have a pic with them with your kids!
I love reminicing about times spent with fam and friends. My baby sis and her daughter are coming for a visit today. They are just back from vacation (a week at North Myrtle Beach), so they have lots of pics and lots of tales to tell ~~ so fun!!!
Have a Blessed day,
Dawn
Aww. I am totally missing all of that for you! I hope you get a chance to go back soon. It looks like wonderful memories!
Gotta love country life. My mom and I were remembering how we spent a vacation at my aunt's house in Rochester, New York and stayed at a cabin there. It was simple, comfy and sat on a beautiful lake. We fed the ducks, swam in the lake and watched summer thunderstorms dance on the lake water below while it cooled the hot humid air.
My hubby and I are waiting for another two years for my oldest to finish high school and then we are off to find a quiet place to settle down in for the rest of our lives, a Mayberry if you will.
Ah I can smell the country air now!
Love and Hugs ~ Kat
It is so hard to be away from family. We are only 2100 miles away, I can't imagine being even farther! Hope you get to see them soon.
Looks like precious memories. Beautiful pictures. Blessings and prayers, andrea
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