One of the best things about being a parent is being able to see life from a child’s perspective again. I have many memories from growing up on my parent’s dairy farm in Wisconsin, but I’m amazed at the memories my children
have brought back for me! Of course I remember climbing the apple and pear trees, but to hear my children talk of the “pirate ship sailing on the sea” or the amazing “dino” they could see from their high perches… It reawakens that little farm girl in me. All of sudden, I can remember those days with such detail!
Taking my kids to the barn for milking is always a special treat. I can remember just how big those cows look to a 4-year-old. I can remember the excitement of holding out a handful of hay to a beautiful cow, waiting for that second when she would catch sight of it with those glossy brown eyes, then lean in with her long tongue to snatch it from my fingertips! Watching my own children doing the same thing is amazing. I love the look of pride on their little faces when they conquer their fear and keep their little hand out long enough for a cow to actually take the hay!
Then there are the kittens. The kittens! Nothing beats chasing those amazingly fast little kittens all around the farm. There were always so many of them that we never quite got the chance to tame them all. Trying to catch the last few “holdouts” was such a fun game for us. My own daughter will spend hours at the farm doing that exact same thing!
While the kids and I were visiting my family's farm over the holidays, my kids made a great discovery: One night my son yelled, “Mom! Come here!!! You’ve got to SEE this!” He then explained to me that it was “so cool that they have STARS at the farm!” (Living in the city, we’re lucky to see three or four on any given night). We huddled in a bunch and craned our necks up. There’s nothing like seeing a skyful of stars in the country on a perfectly clear night!
I’m so lucky to be able to take my kids to visit my childhood home. Really, not much has changed since I left the farm. And that’s a good thing…
