We Didn't Raise Them to Be Like Us, But They Chose to Be.

Our Children Really Did Follow in Our Footsteps.

You have all probably heard the old saying, "I don't want my children to follow in my footsteps, I want them to take their own path and blaze a trail!" or something like that. Well, Jim and I were not that different than whomever said that quote first. We encouraged our children in everything. We cheered them on from the stands or concert seats, no matter what!  We were the LOUD Parents....ok, let me be honest, I was the loud parent, Jim just clapped loud, I screamed, hooped and hollered. I even one time jumped. up at an event screaming "That's my boy!!" only to find out, the tackle wasn't a legal tackle and he cost his team a penalty. But I was still proud to let the crowd know that that was MY BOY!!! 

We supported and loved our children even in the mess ups, like the bad tackle or the choices that they made breaking their own hearts and ours. 

 We would have supported them even if they had decided on any other career path than what they have chosen. 

Both wanting to have the college experience and knowledge were enrolled in the college of their choice and we paid the full amount (no government benefits here) for both. 

Matthew chose the University of Northwestern Ohio and Shayna had chose to attend Monroe Community College, even after being sent letter after letter from several prestiguous Universities wanting her to attend at their facilities, she still chose MCCC. 

Neither wanted to be too far from the farm. Matthew came home every single weekend to help out on the farm, drove about two hours late at night to get home to be here to help us. He also maintained a job near his school as a mechanic, as well as continued to work for another local farmer here in Ida. 

Today, as my mind wandered, it hit me that our children ended up just like us, by their own choice. And it wasn't by accident. Both had the Education to go work for big companies, live in another area, make big money!! But It was because they wished to live life as they saw us live it.

We didn't have extravagance or fancy anything. We never went on big trips, Houghton Lake was the family vacation when it occurred, which was only a few times in their childhood. We weren't a yearly family vacay kind of family. WE farmed!!

Our life and theirs revolved around the farm and the seasons of farming. While others were off to Florida for spring break, our children were home working out in the field, helping their Dad plant. Shayna would be out carrying a bucket almost as big as her to collect rocks in so the equipment wouldn't hit them and get damaged. Matthew would be doing the same, until he was tall enough to drive the equipment. 

Which for Matthew, he got his father's height and was reaching the pedals at about eight.

I suppose to others it would look like they missed out. But they never once acted upset that we weren't off on a fancy trip. When they speak of their childhood, you never see them face downcast and filled with regret. Our children beam when they talk about working and playing together on the farm.

As life moved on, the kids reaching their teens, they still were very much attached to the farm and farming. Adulthood happened, they started looking for their own homes and the top of their criteria for a location......."We want to be close to the Farm!"

Both now have homes within five to fifteen minutes from the Farm. Our Daughter obtained her degree in Graphic Design, but chose to be a housewife. She still loves Art and Graphic Design and has even done a few designs for a few people here and there, but her career of choice is "Homemaker". Making her own bread, keeping a immaculate home and loving her husband with homemade dinners on the table.

Matthew, obtained his degree in  Agricultural Technology and Diesel Mechanics. He now works for a company that both is Trucking, hauling ethonal and Farming. He wrenches for them as the shop manager, Drives Truck for them and Farms for them.

Our children chose to walk in our footsteps, do the jobs that don't make you millions. They live humbly. They don't fit into this world of "we need more"! They saw us live simply and decided for themselves that it was a pretty darn good life.

We now are at the stage in our lives where we are having to purchase the rest of the farmland, as we already own the homestead. It is a huge purchase, it will cost us all we have saved our entire marriage, but to us, it is worth it. The Farm has been our love and our life, and it is the same to our children.

We will do all we can to make sure they never have to be far from the farm. It is our dream to pass it on to them, all expense paid, like a fancy vacation, only difference........It means way more to them than any fancy vacation ever would!

Be Blessed,

The Happy Farmwife




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