You know the saying "You can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl?" Well, it is so true! I will always be a country girl at heart. My brother and I grew up playing in the creek behind our house, riding four wheelers, fishing, hunting, and enjoying the beautifulness that is country living.
Being back there in the peaceful country was so refreshing. My dad and I went mushroom hunting one day. (We found one tiny mushroom) All I could think about was bringing my girls back there. I can't wait to take them mushroom hunting, to show them the best places to play in the creek, and to teach them to just sit in the quietness and listen. There is a valuable lesson in learning to take in God's creation... The smells, the sounds, the sights, and even the taste!
Later we got out the 22s and did some target shooting, I beat dad 5-2! Then I was thinking of how I wanted my girls to be tough. I don't mean "beat you up" tough but the "I can take care of myself and not be afraid of everything" tough. Here in Cambodia they don't have a chance to get out and explore, to learn that life isn't scary, to fall down and learn to wipe off the mud and keep going. In this city of concrete all they have to play with are toys... Growing up I had so much more than just toys. I had a backyard, trees to climb, the timber to explore, and a creek to play in. I want that for my girls.
My word while I was back in the states was bittersweet. I loved being back home, I loved how clean everything was, I loved the comforts that I had forgotten about. But at the same time, I missed my family. I wanted them there with me. I like being in Cambodia, I like being in God's will but that doesn't mean it is easy. It is definitely not easy to be so far from home, so far from family. There were sometimes while I was back that I thought "wow! I have been gone so long!" And other times that it felt like I hadn't ever left. In the end it left me more hopeful and more prayerful. I just keep hoping and praying for the day God sends us back home. Even just for a little while.
