Sometimes inspiration strikes in the most unexpected, and often inconvenient, moments. Take, for example, tonight…it’s at the end of a long day of food preservation and meal preparation, and I’m supervising shower time for the kids when, out of nowhere, a lightbulb turns on. An idea for a new post clicks, when I wasn’t even thinking about the blog. But, one kid can’t get all the shampoo out of her hair, while the other has no idea where his pajamas are (how many times do I have to organize the dresser drawers?!), so writing gets pushed to the back burner. However, that niggling idea just won’t go away, so I’m now up late getting it all out.

More often than not I get the impression that people think we’re nuts for pursuing this lifestyle. Why would we ever want to grow our own food or raise our children in the country? Why go to all that “hard work” when the grocery store and suburbia have everything you need? To answer the first part of that question, please see my last post!

Basically, it all boils down to “my why”. You know the question that you’re asked when starting a new venture, whether it’s losing weight or starting a new job. What is your motivation for doing what you do? Your why…so here is my why.

I love that one recent afternoon my nine-year old chose learning to bale hay over swimming with friends because he “wanted to learn how to do it”. He probably won’t make that mistake again. Also, unrelated, he’d love for someone to invent a milk-cow kegerator equivalent, despite my protestations about the manure involved, and given his fondness for all things dairy, we’re going to need to invest in that sooner, rather than later.

I love that my six-year old picks and eats sugar snap peas and green beans while standing in the garden or freshly shucked sweet corn in the field.

I love that my nine-year old knows that on Monday nights we watch “Antiques Roadshow”, and he’ll remind us that it’s Monday, so we don’t forget to tune in. Plus, he watches the hour-long program intently and suggests which things my mom should take when she goes on the show some day.

I love that my six-year old absolutely smothers the kittens in the shed with all the love she possesses, from the time she wakes up to the time I tell her to call it a night. If anyone is living her best life right now, it’s my daughter!

I love that my nine-year old diligently counts the chickens and un-locks or locks the coop each morning and night. He’s also claimed the job of egg collector once they start laying.

I love that my six-year old volunteers to pick the basil so that I can turn it into pesto and checks the pie pumpkins and apples daily for any sign of ripeness. “They’re starting to turn orange Mama!”

These may be just a few of the reasons for choosing this lifestyle, but in my mind they’re huge. Showing our children that there’s more to life than video games, social media and pop culture is imperative. Teaching them to slow down and appreciate a simpler way of life is monumental. Helping them recognize the important things in life is absolutely crucial, and helps to remind us to slow down and take a closer look. So now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a full moon and some stars to watch.