Makin' a Home on the Prairie: Driving Age

It's been a long planting season on the prairie. Last year the last soybean went in the ground about the middle of May. This year we haven't been so lucky. It's been very, very, very wet and rainy. M told me a long time ago that when one lives up here, one should never curse the water gods. This year it's been tough to hold one's tongue.

That being said, we've had an open week. The corn is in the ground and the beans are getting planted at warp speed in preparation of this weekends rain and oh, yeah... we have one of our own getting married on Saturday. I wonder if the groom's more worried about his crops or the wedding? Grandpa reassured me at supper that the groom is equally as stressed as the bride.

Clearly, Grandpa has never been a bride!!

I was having some sappy, sad, reminiscent thoughts about this nephew/groom as I'm driving to the field to deliver supper tonight. He was about 11 when I came into this family. It's hard for me to believe that he's this grown up. Ugh!

And then I turned into the field to find this...

...just a really big tractor, right?

But as it came to a roaring stop, I found this...

WHAT???!!!!

THAT'S MY 9 (almost 10) YEAR OLD SON DRIVING THAT GREAT BIG TRACTOR!! Picture quality isn't all that good through the window - but yes that's also his very proud dad smiling in the buddy seat next to him.

What??!!

This pic gives you an idea of how big this machine is compared to my "little" boy. This can't be possible. Wasn't I changing his diapers yesterday? He's not going to grow up and leave his mama for a life of his own, is he? I thought he'd be little forever. This wasn't part of the initial plan...

at least not part of MY plan!

God and I are going to have a chat this evening.

Dad told me a while back that when the kids get into school, the time will be gone before I would know what happened. I didn't believe him. I was too busy takin' care of babies - honestly, wishing they'd kick the growing up thing in high gear so that I could take a nap.

You were right, Dad. I finally get what you were telling me.

Here's to living in the moment and spending time with our children.

Around here we don't have "planned quality time" as the experts suggest. However, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to work cattle together, ride in a tractor together, weed the garden together, eat supper together {sometimes in the back of a pick up and not around a table}, drive around gravel roads together, fold clothes together, and the list goes on.

My point being -

kids don't need activities, they need time with

Mom and Dad.

Talking is immanent when we spend time with each other!

[OK... I'm done being sappy now.]

A few more shots of the "others"...

#4 has his supper and now it's his turn to take a ride in "the big green tractor".

{use your sing-song voice here..hope you know the words}

#3 (age 6) had her training wheels removed tonight and they will not be returned to her. No, I'm not being mean - she figured it out!!! The stopping thing still escapes her. She chooses falling over in the grass versus pushing back on the pedals.

{and, yes, her shirt is wrong side out}