Country Girl at Heart

We had a wonderful time last weekend in Sterling at my in-laws. We always do when we go visit either my parents or Jared's parents. I think that it is the quiet, secluded farmland. It is so calming to my soul. And my soul was in need of some calming.

This last trip we (everyone) cut down trees, tore down a barbed wire fence, planted trees, went on a 3 hour 4-wheeler ride, and moved sprinkler pipe. We ate hot dogs, hamburgers, homemade potato salad, and had a great time. The kids went on "adventures". They rode the 4 wheelers and tote-goats all over. They checked the chicken coop for fresh eggs and brushed the neighbors horse.

I yearn to move south. I want to have cows and chickens under my care. The neighbor with the horse told me that he told the girls this: "the best thing for the inside of a girl is the outside of a horse".

How true that statement is.

I have so many great childhood memories tucked away that were made on the back of the horse. There were day rides with my dad, exploring with my cousins, chasing moose, herding sheep with my dad, uncle, and cousins, and 4 day camping/pack trips. The list goes on. And those are just my "horse memories".

What about riding our bikes all over town, and eating PB&J's under the trampoline, and Mari and Taceys clubhouse, and Crow Claw Canyon (thats for you Mari and Tacey-no one else knew about that place), and shearing sheep, and stomping wool, and changing pipe, and going to a rock concert (my dad's term for hauling rocks), and docking lambs, and trapping gophers, the list goes on.

Those are kinds of childhood memories I want for my kids. Some of my best memories are the "working" times. The herding sheep, docking lambs, chopping wood, etc.

I want my kids to have chores that actually mean something. Above and beyond taking out the trash and cleaning their rooms. That's nothing. They need some calves that depend on them for feeding, some lambs that think they are their mama.

So I am on a quest to do what is necessary to get out of the city and into soul-calming rural Utah.

I do love my life here. I like my job, I have got some great friends, the conveniences are nice, but it's not me.

I need quiet. I need a starlit night sky. I need farm animals. I need dirt.

I don't want city kids. I want kids with work ethic and that seems hard to get in the city. I want my kids to know the value of hard work. I want my kids to be dog-tired at the end of a good working day and thankful for the meal on the table.

Let's hope I can accomplish my quest in the next few years and get this country girl out of the city.