Live a Meaningful Life

Hello, from MS! That picture was taken on the back porch of our house in Blue Springs a few years ago by a friend. We never knew that just a few years down the road that we would no longer be living in MS. Fast forward, and here we are returning to the state for several weeks to visit family/friends. Guess what? We have not adjusted well to MS life at all. Let me clarify that-Johnny and I have not. The boys are loving being treated like little princes by grandparents and are having a blast reconnecting with friends. We all have loved spending quality time with our families and friends.  In the meantime, I feel like a whiny brat. We are ready to go! The first week and half was awful for me. I miss seeing water pour over the rocks of the river from my window. I miss being able to walk a few feet and be on trails. I miss meeting new people. I miss watching our boys have adventures in the woods. I miss Johnny telling me about his bear friends he would see weekly as he r...

We have officially left the forest for a few months. I looked at a picture this morning and had to close the app because I was thinking about how much I was going to miss that view and environment. As I reflected about our six months there, I realized that the forest actually took some things from us. 1. A chaotic schedule: I stopped working a normal full time job 5 1/2 years ago, but Johnny and I will both tell you that our schedule became even more chaotic. I did some private practice work, adjunct (land based) teaching, and a 50 day contract to provide counseling services at the youth detention center. Did I mention I am a full time teacher during the day for our boys? The work I got paid for was mostly afternoon/evening work--if you add to that sports practices, church or any other obligations it was even more exhausting! Sure, we have had some busy days in the forest, but nothing like what we left! Simple is better. 2. The TV: Guess how many channels we could get? NONE! Whil...