Going Home - A Visit to the Country

We decided late Friday evening to take a day trip to Shiner and Hallettsville to visit my sisters and their families. We haven't been down since November so a visit was looong overdue! We first visited my sister Stacy. Her family had just left but we had a good time just chatting and catching up and of course looking through all of her good Scentsy products! My niece's daughter was calling every few minutes, so anxious for my girls to get there so could play. Lena didn't let me get many pictures but I managed to snap a few of her and Arianna swinging.

CC wanted to drive and Ari wanted to go to the cattle auction behind their house so off us girls went on a little adventure...and photo op!

Usually I am terrified of cows because when we were little my sister Stacy would tell me Grandpa's cow were going to come out of her closet and eat me when I fell asleep. I didn't think the cows would fit in her closet but I remembered how they run after the truck when you're feeding them and I didn't want to take any chances! I tried so hard not to fall asleep!!

These cows were actually afraid of me! They ran off (as much as they could) when I came up to take some photos. I felt kinda good about that!

Ari adores CC. She always has. She tells CC to buy her clothes just like the ones CC has. It is so sweet!

There was also this pretty horse on the other side of the auction ring. I was a little timid of it at first, but it was friendly and enjoyed the petting as much as I enjoyed petting it. I told Emil I am ready to have a small piece of land in the country with at least a horse or two. It would be so nice!

Lena refused to get out of the car and take pictures. I could hardly blame her! It was 94 degrees!! We were so hot but we were having so much fun!

Arianna definitely enjoyed taking pictures! That girl is fearless! She was climbing and swinging from stall to stall like a little monkey! Oh, the courage of kids...too bad we lose that when we get older!

This is by far my favorite picture of CC and Ari. I am thinking of framing it and sending it to her. She will LOVE it!

Mom and her youngest great-granddaughter. Ari is her first great-granddaughter. Camilla here loved having all the attention! She is so darn sweet!

While at my niece's house my sister Stacy texted and asked if we were going to come back through there because her husband and kids came home and wanted to see Mom. As we were driving the little country road the whole ten miles or so from Hallettsville to Shiner, John Denver's "Country Road Take Me Home..." came on the radio. It couldn't have been more appropriate. I love living in a bigger city. I enjoy all the amenities it has to offer. I can go to the bookstore anytime. I can have coffee anytime. I can grab Mexican food anytime. I can choose which movie theater I want to go to and don't have to drive an hour to get there. There is always an array of things to do.

------BUT-----

I miss out on the things that I used to take for granted...the things that now bring me so much joy! I miss seeing all the beautiful wildflowers on the side of the road. It wasn't as much as it was when I was small but they were there. They are just in need of a good rain!

I remember taking pictures on our way to church all dressed up in our church clothes sitting in thick blankets of bluebonnets. Every family had pictures like that. My girls would absolutely die if I asked them to sit in a patch of wildflowers on the side of the road and take pictures. Something we looked so forward to would seem like a punishment to them!

I miss the bales of hay that decorate the sides of the road. Today I think they are just beautiful. It wasn't uncommon for a young man to get a side job hauling hay. Hard work, yes! But something I never get to hear anyone complain about any more.

And seeing the buffalo at a couple of ranches was just as exciting me this past weekend as it was when I was young. I wonder if the people who drive past this everyday think it's as special as I do. Or, have they become immune to it?

I miss living in the country. I'm sad that my children will never know the carefree life it brings. They will never know the simple pleasures of sitting outside on the porch, rocking in a porch swing and waving at any neighbor that passes by. As it is my girls aren't even allowed outside alone. I wouldn't want to take that chance.

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On another note.... this is part of my giveaway. I haven't gotten a chance to get a giveaway post together yet...but I will. So until then, here is a sneak preview. Betcha can't figure out what it is!

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I am linking up to Blue Monday at Smiling Sally's wonderful blog!