Still Home

Over the weekend we went to visit my family in the Mountains. It was the first time that we have gone back since moving over 3 months ago (doesn't time fly). From the moment we drove up the pass to the mountains, it felt like I was home. Down here on the farm we have so much space (which is great), but I didn't realise how much I like having neighbours and other people close by too. 

We arrived around 8pm on Friday, and after we put the kids to bed, we sat up talking to my parents.

Saturday morning, the kids got up and headed straight into the play room. The kids worked on a train track set up, with lots of 'help' from Grandy and Country Boy. I had planned to go to some garage sales, but it was drizzly (not good garage sale weather). The kids stayed with my parents, while Country Boy and I went to the local markets, and did a bit of shopping. I had forgotten how much I love going to the monthly farmers markets. Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, breads, cakes, jams and other tasty treats. Just looking at all the produce is inspiring. I also love the convenience of having everything so close by (I took the opportunity to purchase all those things that are hard to get in a small country town).

In the afternoon, I got out all the Lego I had as a child to sort through. My siblings and I were all Lego fans as kids, and now Hannah and Meg are quite into it. I had decided to take my sets down to the farm, so that Country Boy the girls can play with them, but first we had to make them up.

My sister brought her kids over and all the cousins enjoyed playing together, while the adults sat and chatted, and played with sorted out the Lego. Dinner is always a noisy affair when the whole family gets together, and Saturday evening was no exception. Toby and my niece (who is the same age), spent dinner making chicken noises to each other, and Meg, Hannah, and my nephew (3 years), also chatted away, whilst the adults all tried to participate in 3 different conversations at once.

The cousins have always been great friends, and before we moved, my mother minded all five on Wednesdays and Thursdays (my girls went to school during the day), so they spent a lot of time together. Now they (obviously) don't get as much time, and this is another thing I really miss about the mountains.

After dinner we put the kids to bed and sat around chatting until 11.30pm - very late for us. My brother and SIL had to go at about 10pm, but we powered on. Having not seen my sister since January, we had heaps to talk about (can't wait for the Easter weekend when they are coming to visit us on the farm).

We had a bit of a sleep in on Sunday after our late night talks on Saturday. Luckily we had put Toby into bed with us (love a king bed), and he slept late too. We headed off to visit our old church after breakfast. We loved being back there, and it was obvious that the kids felt at home immediately. Visiting our old church really brought out the issues we are currently having finding a church family near the farm. It was great to catch up with friends, and to hear that the youth group is planning to come and visit us for a weekend next term - another exciting thing to look forward to.

After lunch with my parents, we visited some friends whose girls are the same age as our girls. Hannah misses them terribly and we had promised that we would try to have a play with them when we came up. The girls had a great time, while we sat and chatted, and I felt guilty that I had dragged Hannah away from her school and friends where she felt so comfortable to live somewhere so isolated.

As we drove home, I felt like I was leaving home again. I was sad to be leaving my roots, and wondering why I had ever agreed to leave. Visiting the mountains has stirred up a lot of thoughts in my mind, and I have a lot more to brain dump on here over the coming days, but for now, the mountains are still home.

Sunset on the way back to the farm - I know I am lucky to live in a beautiful part of the world.