From Summer To Fall.... Change

Here we are.  September 1st.  Summer has gone by too fast yet again, and the kids are now back in school.  Evan, a seventh grader!  Sierra, in fourth grade!  Evan just celebrated his 12th birthday in fine fashion, on a trip to Portland, where we played and had fun all weekend long.  He took along his best buddy, Jacob Roosma, and the two of them together shared a long weekend of zip lining, obstacle courses, swimming, indoor trampolining, miniature golf, good food, and more!!!  Sierra will be celebrating her 10th birthday here at the end of this month!  :-)

As anyone who knows me already knows, Fall is my most favorite time of the year here where we live.  Why?  Quite simply, because we have some of the most beautiful weather of the year in the Fall here...... bright and sunny days, but not too hot.  Beautiful colors abound as the change occurs in the foliage.  The smells of people burning leaves and yard debris bring back find memories each and every year.  The bike rides are magnificent and glorious this time of year.  And the mornings are crisp and fresh and cool.... perfect for sitting on the porch with my morning coffee!!!  :-)

And so, it is a welcoming time of year for me, when September rolls around.  However, this year brings about a whole new set of changes for us here in our family.  This year will be our last year at Little Bearfoot Farm.  The hobby farm business is closing down, and after 8 years, we are moving on.  Of course, I am filled with a huge mixture of emotions over this.  But the simple fact is, time and money!!!  Money and time!!!  It takes a lot of both of these to make the farm work, and we have not been able to live up to my expectations for maintaining and caring for our farm.  As well, our family dynamics have and are changing.  We are getting busier with our lives, and especially with our kids.  School, sports, extra curriculars, and family time..... we need and want more of these things.  As this happens, we have less time to devote of ourselves and our money to the farm life, and it shows.  We have chosen family, and our kids to be the priority, so it is time to move on.

With that... change!  Yes, we are moving back to city life!!!  Well, OK, maybe not what you all think.... but for us, it's a huge change!!!  We will be leaving the farm life and our 12 acres, and we will be moving into a much smaller house, in a neighborhood, in the tiny town of Sumas, WA.  I am extremely grateful to be able to make this transition back to city life on a small scale.  :-)

It appears as of now that we will be moving into our "new" home around the end of October or first week in November.  So, we have time.  And, we need the time.  Still so much to do, so much to get rid of, so much to pack, so much to plan for.  I am praying for a very smooth transition as we make this big change in our lives.  And more so, I am praying that this change will be a wonderful and life giving change to our family unit.  More time together, in a closer and tighter situation.  More money in the bank, allowing less stress and more freedom to do things we need and want to do.  Less worry about the place we live in, and all that needs to be done, and more time to be active in both kids' lives on a regular and day to day basis.  :-)

In addition, I am prayerful that our kids will adapt to this new way of living quickly and well.  Having friends near by, and the ability to play with others without having to arrange play dates will be quite nice.  A safe and friendly neighborhood with street lights, and pavement all around will be fun for the kids.  A fenced yard for the dogs will be a blessing to us.  Scaling down our lives will be a blessing that I know we will appreciate after we finally get settled in.

As much as I am going to miss our farm, and this beautiful location that I have loved so dearly for the past 8 years now.... I am ready for our future.  I am ready to move, to get started, to make the change.

Welcome, September... and welcome, Fall.   :-)