Our time on the farm

We couldn't have planned it more perfectly.  We were bedraggled travelers leaving the airport after a full day of travel with two exhausted boys, heading for the refuge of my Aunt and Uncle's farm in McMinnville.  We were greated with big smiles and warm hugs, as well as comfy beds for the sleeping children and ourselves. Even waking up at 5 a.m. to the sound of excited children couldn't dampen the joy and utter relaxation we felt being there. 

The kids couldn't quite undertand that 5 a.m. was still night time and even after a few explanations continued to ask every few minutes if Uncle Kaye was up! Aunt Robbie and I held down the early morning fort, while the boys took their energy out on the farm, greeting the dogs, enjoying the swings and getting into anything else they could find. 

Heaven for me was the sight of Aunt  Robbie's homemade raspberry jam, which she makes with very little sugar.  Now, usually I wouldn't really get to enjoy jam because I no longer eat gluten and there is nothing for me to put the jam on, but my lovely Aunt is also gluten intolerant and offered me multiple grainy options that I could cover with her lovely jam.  Uncle Kaye busied himself with scrambled eggs and I sat down to a REAL breakfast...something I hadn't done in a very long time.  The best of it all, however, was the company and simply feeling at home in a familiar place with people I love and who love me.  Ahhhh...a far cry from draining my brain on the latest report and pushing unreasonable work deadlines!

The rest of the day brought more of the same...more of the same...farm fresh, homemade food to die for...split pea and ham soup anyone? Pasta with yummy marinara and chicken sausage, fresh picked raspberries (the boys, Auntie and I picked raspberries out of the garden), salad, cookies...the list goes on.  You get the idea that we werne't going hungry, right and not only that, that hunger was not the REASON to be eating...nope...just the desire to devour all the good tasting food!

The boys love the farm for other reasons...mostly that Kaye is super fun to follow around...especially for Samuel.  I can't count all of the ideas Samuel had in one day for building/ making something. I think the first was a catapult, followed by a dog house, a bridge over the creek, and on and on.  Uncle Kaye listened with patience and interest to the requests and found things for Samuel that COULD be accomplished with ease and with his own effort.  In the end, Samuel provided some much needed help to my feebly-minded Aunt and Uncle (just kidding!) by making sure that things around the farm were properly labeled: "In to the garden" "Out of the garden" "Clothes line" "Amber's fortress" (Amber is the dog).  They surely won't lose their way around the farm again! :)

My time with Aunt Robbie and Daryl's time with Kaye are always priceless...some of the best times of our lives, in fact.  What amazing people they are...so giving, so real and fun.  Their laughter will ring in my ears for months to come. I really could never say how much they warm our hearts, lift our spirits, encourage belief and love, tolerance and forgiveness.