We Bought a Farm: Grieving old friends

I know that things will change next month when we start our weekly co-op and we find a church, but this week, I was really grieving my old friends.

These friends are grouped in "batches" in my mind. I have my childhood friends. I have my college buddies. I have my Minnesota friends. I have my Eglin AFB friends. I have my Turkey friends. And I have my Azores friends.

I've really tried to convince myself that I didn't need any people here in our new home at the farm. We have so many visitors. And I have so many friends spread out around the USA and the world that I could just focus on making day trips to see.

But you know, sometimes, I just wish I could send an email to Stebbs and Angelica and Sarahbee and say, "Meet you at Arkadas."

But I can't.

These waves of emotion hit me harder whenever my husband is "in the thick of it." His job is very feast or famine. He is finishing up an 8 out of 10 day run of shifts. After Sunday night, he will not have another shift for 8 days! But during this 8 out of 10 day run, I feel a little lonely. I start to question what I am doing here. If I can do this. Am I cut out for this.

Am I really married to a farmer living in the middle of nowhere on a 100-acre farm with pigs and guinea fowl and geese and sheep? Who is this woman? And where is Wendi?

And with that comes a wish for something familiar. For the comforts of my past homes and the people that made those places so comfortable for me.

When I really stop, I grieve this loss. But I know I can't do that for long. I have a new life to live and kids to school and a farm to help my husband run.

I also try, whenever I am feeling a bit stagnant, to change it up a bit. So on Wednesday, with a lot of rain in the forecast, I called my mother-in-law and asked if she wanted to drive to Johnson City with me. (She did -- thank goodness as the extra set of hands is invaluable.) I had seen this cool museum: Hands on! Regional Museum and decided to give it a try. It is one hour away. A little farther than I would like, but I am quickly recognizing that our "outings" will be a bit more rare and a bit more farther away.

The kids loved it! We had an absolute blast visiting all the various areas of educational play. A few of our favorites are pictured below:

The grocery store. Isaac LOVES organizing and food and grocery stores have always been a favorite of his. He immediately jumped behind the cash register to organize the masses.

Hannah kept walking around with her cart saying, "Get my items. Get my items." So funny! It was especially wonderful that there were only a total of 3 families there while we were there. So much space to spread out in!

The kids LOVED these little metal tubes that they could shape into their body. (That's me in the top two -- with and without glasses.)

Sidge tried to do his whole body.

After the museum (which included a class on "aerodynamics"), we stopped at Chik-fil-A for lunch. This was a monumental Chik-fil-A day for us as for the first time I bought four kids meals (instead of the normal 3 and giving Hannah a bit of everyone else's food.) Jumped my total price another five bucks. 

This also gave her her OWN ice cream. She was ecstatic about this:

I tried to get Hannah to repeat what she had just said, "Yummy in my tummy" for the camera. But, like most children, she refuses to perform on command:

Getting out definitely gave me a pick up. I am also looking VERY forward to an early September reunion of a few of my Turkey friends in D.C.!!! I know that will give me a great pick up. :)