Living in the City

When I grew up here as a little girl, we had a cow pasture behind our house and woods in front of us.  The road was a highway, but you could walk to the mailbox and back without seeing a car.  Raising my birth children here was basically the same way except the traffic picked way up.  Now however it's all changed.  There is a subdivision behind me and a subdivision in front of me.  The traffic in non stop.  I have a Pub*ix 2 miles down the road and a Doll*r Gener*l in the other direction.  There is many eating places just a few miles away.  A new F*mily Doll*r is being built not 2 miles away.  I now live in the city.  I have to admit there is pro's to this new place I live.  The girls take dance and the studio is only 3 miles away.  When some of the older girls took dance we drove 11 miles.  Running to a grocery store is now convenient.  Running out of milk or bread is no big deal.  The grocery store was also 11 miles away.  Now I have my choice of two major chains with in 5 miles of me.  The schools have always been close, the only difference is there was only 1, then 2, now 4. Pre-k thru 2nd, then 3rd thru 5th, then 6 thru 8 then high school.  Still they are all with in 5 or so miles of me. The high school being the farthest.  But even with all the convenience, I prefer the country.  At least once a week we hear a siren.  When before it was crickets.  The lights from my neighbors burn in the dead of night, when before it was only the stars.  When we use to have family ball games and scream, yell, and play no one was near to hear.  Now, someone actually called the police for the kids playing outside and being too loud.  The officer was very nice, but jeez we were here first.  I can't throw out scraps now either. When I was a little girl we actually had pigs on this property.  Now you can't have any farm animals unless they are pets.  So I now live in the city.  Even though I haven't moved my entire life (we did move around a bit after my dad died when I was 11, but moved back) I sure live in a different place.  The older kids have memories of catching lightning bugs, playing outside after dark, screaming to the top of their lungs while dancing in the rain, playing in knee deep mud in a garden and being totally free.  I wonder how this group of kids will remember their childhood?

Our adoption is going great, we hope to finalize in December.  The kids have been busy involved in sports. And we've been busy running them back and forth.  My oldest who lived next door, bought a new house 6 miles away and my youngest bio who lived one house up bought a house across the street (traitor)LOL.  So two of my other daughters and one son is moving in to the two vacant houses. (one is a mobile home)  DJ got married.  He's not yet 20.  He leaves for the army Nov 13.  That's going to be tough.  Everyone is doing very well.  I have no complaints.  All of my grown children have jobs. (except DJ) They are all standing on there on with a little help from us now and then.  I expect the two boys who graduate this year to do great.  They are two of my easiest boys.  Then I'm counting down.  I plan on retiring to the mountains.  Just a couple hours aways, but back to the lightning bugs, and stars.  10 years is not that long.  The last 10 sure have flown.  I'm sure in 10 years I'll really be living in the city!  Mountain Top here I come.

Oh and my camera cord won't work , so I can't post pictures:(