It happened the other day.
You know how you have this picture in your head of how you hope something will be? How it will feel?
For years I had dreamed of this kind of day.
It was a lazy, hazy and hot (upper 90's!) summer day.
We were at home on our little farmstead (our first summer here!), with no place in particular we had to be.
We picked blackberries.
(Lincoln was very fashion-forward in his board shorts and boots! :)
We busted out the slip 'n slide and Hudson got sweet revenge on his little brothers
(they SO had it coming)!
(they SO had it coming)!
We had some laughs…
We hung out with the chickens and fed them watermelon (their favorite!).
It was an ordinary day in the country with my boys. The kind of "ordinary" I'd dreamed of and prayed for...for so long.
While I enjoyed this day so much… it also got me thinking!
While I enjoyed this day so much… it also got me thinking!
Because we live just past the city limits, we are still "able" to be involved in the same activities as when we lived in a more suburban neighborhood.
This has its pros and cons.
Unlike those who live way out in the country on acres and acres of farm land, where it is more remote, we can still participate in all the sports, school, extracurricular and church activities that we've always done.
This is a good thing to still have community and to be able to do things that we enjoy.
On the other hand, we were looking for a taste of the "simple life" and a change in lifestyle, where time seemed to slow down and where more of our family life was centered at home.
The reality is that we now have a lot more to "tend" to - the animals and the property. It's not just "wanting" to be home… but needing to be home more.
As we will soon start a new school year, I'm thinking about how we will find the best balance for our family.
I know we're not alone.
I believe every family, no matter where you live, tries to figure this out each year.
Which activities will enrich individual family members? How will these commitments impact our family as a whole? How much is enough? How much is too much?
These are first-world questions, I understand. We are blessed beyond measure to even contemplate these luxuries.
It can feel like an arms race if we compare ourselves to what other families are doing. The thing I am going to try and remember is that no two families are the same.
Not only do we (including our children) have different interests and talents, but we also have different personalities. What might make me feel frazzled and stressed out might be totally doable for you… and vice versa.
In addition, each family's parents have different work schedules. If my husband or I travel or work long hours certain times of the year, that is going to be a logistical consideration.
This has its pros and cons.
Unlike those who live way out in the country on acres and acres of farm land, where it is more remote, we can still participate in all the sports, school, extracurricular and church activities that we've always done.
This is a good thing to still have community and to be able to do things that we enjoy.
On the other hand, we were looking for a taste of the "simple life" and a change in lifestyle, where time seemed to slow down and where more of our family life was centered at home.
The reality is that we now have a lot more to "tend" to - the animals and the property. It's not just "wanting" to be home… but needing to be home more.
As we will soon start a new school year, I'm thinking about how we will find the best balance for our family.
I know we're not alone.
I believe every family, no matter where you live, tries to figure this out each year.
Which activities will enrich individual family members? How will these commitments impact our family as a whole? How much is enough? How much is too much?
These are first-world questions, I understand. We are blessed beyond measure to even contemplate these luxuries.
It can feel like an arms race if we compare ourselves to what other families are doing. The thing I am going to try and remember is that no two families are the same.
Not only do we (including our children) have different interests and talents, but we also have different personalities. What might make me feel frazzled and stressed out might be totally doable for you… and vice versa.
In addition, each family's parents have different work schedules. If my husband or I travel or work long hours certain times of the year, that is going to be a logistical consideration.
I'm wondering how you find balance as you navigate the seemingly endless extracurricular opportunities? If you have multiple children, do you put a number limit on how many things each can participate in, in a given year? Or, do you just evaluate as you go? Any tips you'd like to share?
I would love to hear!
Wishing you a wonderfully ordinary summer day and peace as you look toward your fall schedule…
xo
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