I was waddling around 7 months pregnant with the Ladybug when we laid out our first fence line here at The Lowe Farm. Our farming adventures have included our children from Day One. As I’ve gone through my 42,000 pictures on Flickr over the last two weeks, I’ve found some real treasures (some from long before I started blogging!) that I’d like to share.

Homesteading isn’t just about growing food–it’s about growing family. When we forget that and it becomes just another daily chore, things start to fall apart.

Our munchkins have been complaining about chores lately. That always makes me stop and evaluate if we’re asking them to do too much…is something out of balance? Are we being too hard on them? Expecting too much? After thinking about it, and praying about it, I don’t think so. I think an attitude adjustment is needed around here more than a workload adjustment. I found a lot of pictures of them working very hard, and it was an eye-opening reminder for them (as well as me!) to look back at all they’ve learned and accomplished!

There’s no substitute for all that growing, and learning, and doing. Together. This is what we think family should look like. This is why we go through all the trouble, all the work, all the heartbreak. This is what we want them to remember about their childhood–that they did it.

Our kiddos haven’t traveled as much as some other children their age. They haven’t been to Disney World or ridden roller coasters yet. They haven’t played as many video games, or watched as many TV shows, or played as many sports, or taken as many lessons, or had as many sleepovers as some families. They’ve been too busy living smack in the middle of life.

It’s not easy, this farming choice. This narrow path. This forcing of consistency and discipline into the undisciplined places of our life. It’s a choice to reap consequences immediately–in sweat and blood and tears and dirt and death. And to see rewards in new life, new growth, new nights and new days.

I think we all face the same daily battles, we just each chose a different field to fight on.

We chose this place.

Where spring always follows winter; fall always cools the summer; chicks follow eggs; new lambs follow a harvest; sunrise follows sunset; rainbows follow the rain…Truth always follows the Word, and faith follows the Promise.

I have been so blessed by the calling God has put on my heart to capture all these pictures over the last couple years!  What does your home-ground look like today?

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