You get a line, I'll get a pole...*

Growing up, we lived out. By "out" I mean we could get to a grocery store in about 5 minutes, but our house was at the end of a driveway .2 of a mile long, in the middle of 12 acres, with our closest neighbor at the other end of the driveway. I remember wishing to live near other kids while riding my bike up and down the driveway however I wanted. I remembering thinking how cool it would be to walk to a friend's house while playing on the swing set we could move whenever I wanted a different view of the mountains. I recall thinking we lived in the boonies when we'd have to plan our trips to "town" because it would take 20 minutes or more to get to the mall, Wal-Mart, etc.

Now that I'm grown and a Mommy, my perspectives have changed. When we come to NanaPop's my girls can PLAY. They can just play. There aren't cars to watch out for, roads they aren't allowed to use in play, dogs that aren't ours, neighbor's to consider, or toys to chase down from other yards. I sit on my parents deck watching my children run, squeal, go on adventures, collect treasures, and make their own way.They can play without me right on top of them. They leave their Tonka trucks in the driveway overnight without a second thought.

 I look up at the mountain and realize how flat our neighborhood is in comparison. I hear of insects from my childhood that I don't recall listening to from my own porch. I smell fall - really smell it. I show Miss Moo places that I played when I was a girl and give her my toys to use. I see Miss Roo clambering after her and recall chasing after my brother because he was so awesome.

I think I've mellowed.

 Or perhaps I have come to understand what is really important to me in the way we raise our girls. I do love the conveience of living 5 minutes from everything we could ever need, but I would much rather spend days playing outside with my girls than finding places to take them for those same opportunities. I'd like them to experience the "Bloo Mountatains" (as Moo calls them) daily rather than as an exclamation as we travel home. I'd like to drive around more with the windows down, two giggling girls, and country playing on the radio. I guess Kix and Ronnie were right after all.

So what am I to do?
 Come home as much as I can? Definitely.

 Let my girls get as much of the country as they can? Absolutely.

Accept and celebrate the rural-ness of my life and my heritage(including my accent)?  Without a doubt.

And perhaps, somewhere in the back of my mind, I'm thinking of ways to follow the siren song home.



*We'll go fishing in the crawfish hole
 Five card pocker on Saturday night
Church on Sunday mornin'
Little Big Town, Boondocks