A trip to the country

If you've visited me before and have read about my family, you know that we've been through a tough time over the past 18 months or so. Everyone is doing well now, and we have so much to be thankful for. But it's been a long road, and I've been tired. . . just a bit drained in body and spirit.

My sweet husband offered to send me to a spa for a few days. Isn't that sweet? He figured I could use some pampering. The fact is, though, that going to a spa doesn't really sound that interesting to me. Now, a spa day--that would be great. A massage, a facial, some time in a sauna or a steam room--that sounds lovely. But a whole spa vacation? I don't know. I suppose if you could do that with a group of girlfriends it might be fun. Even then, though, I think I'd rather spend the money on something else. Like furniture. Or college tuition.

Anyway, it's the thought that counts, and I appreciate that my husband made the offer, but I declined. As the summer wore on, though, I realized that I was just getting more and more tired. So finally I told my husband that I needed to get away. He asked where I wanted to go, and I didn't hesitate. I wanted to visit my sister.

My sis on one of her Tennessee Walking Horses

Aren't sisters the best? I have two of them, and they are both amazing women. Talented, kind, generous Christian women. The kind of people you want to have as neighbors or best friends. Unfortunately, they both live far away from me. One lives in Alabama and one lives in Mississippi. I hadn't seen either of them in far too long.

The wise old retriever and the eager-beaver puppy

This past week, I went to visit my sister who lives in Mississippi, and our sister from Alabama drove over to join us. Good heavens, a bystander could not have gotten a word in edgewise. How fast can tongues FLY?

And to make it all even better, my sister, her husband, and their two precious children live in the country. I mean way out in the country, 10 minutes from the nearest little town. She lives on six beautiful acres, with trees and pastures and ponds and barns and the whole works. And she has the most delightful animals--dogs and rabbits and horses and chickens and ducks and lions and tigers and bears, oh my.

One of the Rhode Island Reds who flew the coop and landed on the deck

You want to unwind and relax? Spend you some time in the country. Help your sister feed the chickens or exercise the horses or shoo the ducks off the porch or any one of the million things that make up life in the country. Talk and laugh and swap recipes. Share memories and make some new ones.

Mallards hanging out in the front yard

Now that's my kind of spa vacation.