Life is good. Every day it just gets better and better. It’s hard to remember that this time last year, we were pretty miserable in the rental with the limping air conditioner and leaking pipes, and we were frantically looking for a home to purchase, running into obstacle after obstacle. One year later, I don’t think either of us ever dreamed we’d be loving our new home as much as we do.
This evening, I baked cookies and went outside on the front porch to enjoy a couple of cookies. OK . . maybe I ate four of them but they were small.
The cows came by to visit. I talked to them but I didn’t share my cookies with them. They seem to be coping and they may have already forgotten about their calves being gone.
The chickens came to visit.
I love seeing the chickens running around the yard, though they’ve done little, if anything, to help with the grasshopper problem.
Fairly early every morning and fairly late in the afternoon, the jackrabbits come to play and eat. They were far out in the yard and even with my zoom lens, I couldn’t get decent pictures of them.
If you’ve never seen a Texas jackrabbit, you wouldn’t believe how huge these things get and how high they jump and how fast they run. They walk kinda like a dog and from a distance, I always think they’re a dog or a small coyote. There are four of them that I see most every day. The rabbits never seem to pay attention to the chickens but the chickens always see the rabbits.
The deer are back. We’ve hardly seen them at all since probably March or April but we’re seeing more and more of them early in the morning and late in the afternoon. There were four that I could see this evening but two of them were farther down the fence line.
As I was walking into the house, the moon was hovering over the chimney and the memory of the move — leaving Chad behind, all of the house deals that came so close to working for us and then didn’t . . such disappointment but there was a reason for it all. Had any of those deals worked, we would have been there and not here . . and here is perfect for us!
Today when the UPS man was here, I said to him that it was good to see him . . “Do you wish you didn’t have to come here every day?” and he said “No! I love coming back here. I love this place!” I told him that we do too and he said “Who wouldn’t?” I know there are some who wouldn’t love living back here kinda in the woods, with no close neighbors, but this is exactly the place I’ve always wanted. I so hope that what we went through to get here can be an encouragement to anyone who isn’t where they want to be in their life right now. Don’t give up . . if you know what you want, keep working to achieve your goals . . whether it be where you live or your education or your relationship . . if you want something badly enough and are willing to work hard enough, you never know what you can achieve.
I’m so thankful for our life and our circumstances and while I’m aware that things can change any moment, I’m enjoying every minute of life right now.
Shirley says
Great post. Thumbs up.
Denise :) says
I completely understand where you’re coming from. I love living up in our secluded little spot, in the middle of practically nowhere! And I like that our UPS man has my name and number in his cell (and I have his in mine). Haha! So he can get the gate code when we’ve got a delivery!! 🙂
Linda Steller says
Like, like, LIKE! It makes me happy to hear the contentment in your words, and to hear you encourage others. I do love my life too. Just need to make a few adjustments, but in all, it’s great!
Tamera in ND says
Wow! I really needed to hear that! I’m SO happy for you. You deserve it.
Ranch Wife says
Truly a picture of ‘blooming where you are planted’! I feel the same way you do and our UPS man sounds like yours. I just had a similar conversation with ours yesterday. When he walked up to the house, I opened the door and told him he was just in time for supper and invited him in. 🙂
carolyn says
Very positve post. I really loved it. Knowing that it could change at any minute, enjoy where you are but don’t forget to reach for the stars you may end up on the moon, but it’s still up there.
Doreen says
I am so happy for you and Vince!! We moved to our little rural piece back in ’74 and raised our 2 boys. Then 20+ years ago #2 son and wife built a home just up our drive and raised their daughter……loved it!!!! And now they are planning on buying the farm…..they can’t imagine living anywhere else. Don’t ya just love it when your idea of the perfect location is shared by those you love most!?!
Thank you for the wonderful post! Hugs, Doreen
suzanne says
What a great post and great words of encouragement. I usually don’t take the time to read post in the mornings because I am in a hurry to get out the door to work…..needed to read this today! Thanks Judy!
Harriett says
Thank you for the reminder. Life is good.
Sarah N says
Has it really been a year already?
I am busy fretting over how to quilt a baby quilt for a customer and thought to myself “If I could go spend a few days with Judy, I am sure she could teach me some cool freehand stuff!”
Is your family in Louisiana all safe? My husband’s family is up in Shreveport.
Dora, the quilter says
I too am thankful that your life is so good and that you are living in the place of your dreams doing the things that are meaningful to you.
Thank you for the encouragement to get to the places we want to be too. It is hard to be patient enough sometimes, and it is good to have the reminder that when we get to where we want to be, the struggle will no longer be more than a memory.
Linda in NE says
I’d like your place…..especially the part about “kind of back in the woods with no close neighbors.” Having grown up on a farm with the closest neighbor 1/2 mi. away cross country & further by the road, that’s what I like. But, I’m planted here and it’s paid for and if I look out the front door just right, in the summer, with all the leaves on the trees, I can’t see neighbors either. The same thing works in the winter if it’s snowing & blowing hard enough. LOL
Debbie B says
Great post, Judy! I’m so glad you love your life and where and how you are living it! Thanks for the reminder to enjoy the “right now” and keep the faith.
Kathy C says
I am so happy things worked out for you two. I also had a hard time when we first moved to Oregon but here I am 19 years later, and life is GOOD here.
Happy ‘Blue Moon’ too.
Donna F says
;). Love this post. Hubby and I have plans and I too will have to drive away from my baby, but who knows, maybe she will decide to tag along later. We have some kinks to work out but I know we will get to that special place one day. Thanks for reminding me.
Jojo says
You go girl! What do they say? “Bloom where you’re planted:-)” There is nothing better than making a home for yourself – and being happy there!