I live in the city...granted, a small, small city, but a city nonetheless. I want to live in the country. Not out in the boonies, but in a I-don't-have-to-worry-about-robbers-and-I-can-actually-see-the-stars country. I have been drawn towards living a much simpler lifestyle since we had Faith. I want the focus of our lives to be on things that matter. I want the kids to grow up exploring the woods, spending hours creating imaginary kingdoms on their outside play fort, eating dinner as a family every night, star-gazing on warm summer nights.
I want the kids to know that eggs come from chickens, not the store. I want part of our food to come from our very own garden (This may be tricky, as plants scream in terror when they see me coming.). I want Christmas to be focused on the 'Reason for the Season' not on buying, buying, buying. I want the kids to get up in the morning and help collect eggs from the hen house and feed The Mini's (I dream of having a farm with miniature farm animals). I want to look back at our lives and know that we did the very best job possible...as parents and as spouses. And, I guess part of what embodies that for me, is living on a farm.
Now, we've already started simplifying our lives. We don't spend outside of our means, and that means that we don't have any credit card debt. We do occasionally do financing same as cash, but we always pay it off before the end period, so we don't have any interest payments. There is long term success in this lifestyle, but sometimes it is so hard to see the "world" living outside of their means and having so much more.
Another area we have simplified is our t.v. watching. Faith and I don't watch much, if any, television during the day. We listen to music instead (toddler tunes, Christian, classical, etc). After she goes to bed, Derek and I watch our favorite recorded shows. My goal, is to keep cutting down the amount of tv that we watch. This would free us up to spend more quality time together, and to focus more on God (through reading and Bible studies).
But, I want more. I want to live in the country. I want to raise some farm animals (chickens, ponies, mini donkeys, mini sheep, mini cows, mini goats, and a full size horse). I want to cook semi-homemade meals, and do lots of baking. I want our bread to come from my oven (actually my bread machine). I want the children to be the closest of siblings (granted there will be fights). I want to have the ability to pursue my interests and hobbies in life...learning to play the piano, learning to sew, digital scrapbooking and photography, reading and writing. I want life to be sweet and simple, but oh so filled.
Derek is not quite convinced of my plans to move us to the country. He's declared that he will not make his own butter, but apparently eating farm fresh eggs is acceptable. I'll get my way...he always blesses me with the desires of my heart. Isn't that what good husbands do?
My Blogs of Inspiration:
Chickens in the Road
My Simpler Life
Scrumptious Living
Do you have any other suggestions? I'd LOVE for you to post them in the comments section.
