A Visit With Friends, and to Amish Country

Dear Friends,

A blessed Sabbath to you! Yesterday the temperatures warmed up enough to make a perfect day to go visit our beautiful friend Emily from Desert Rose Homestead. She and her family were visiting Missouri, and invited us to join them for a picnic at Adam-Ondi-Ahman (a spot that is sacred to Latter-Day Saints).

Mr. Graham was nice enough to chauffer the troop, and as we left Kansas City we whizzed past the Sports Center, as well as Worlds of Fun.

The traffic decreased as we traveled north, and we knew we weren't in the city any more when we had to cautiously pass this combine!

We also passed this tractor supply store, and Frankie informed us that he would own every single tractor when he grows up~

A farmhouse with a windmill in the front yard told us we were close to our destination~

 

And finally we were there!

Emily and her family were patiently waiting for us when we arrived (we misjudged the driving time by almost an hour!), and everyone had a wonderful time catching up and munching on the goodies provided.

There were lots of uninvited guests at the picnic, too, including lots of ladybugs and spiders!

There was just enough time to play "Hide and Seek" while we put things away,

And for making a fairy house in the big oak tree!

Though we wished we could have stayed together longer, it was finally time to part ways, until the next happy day when we could visit again. One thing that I love about Emily's family is that they are at the same stage we are, of dreaming about that piece of land and working toward making it a reality. We've been so very blessed to make so many wonderful friends through blogging!

We spent some time absorbing the peaceful spirit that prevails at this special spot, and collected a few rocks and seeds to remember it by.

Some of us decided to rest on Father's shoulder instead!

We then decided to drive through Jamesport, the largest Amish community in Missouri. Although it was definitely a tourist attraction, it was a wonderful thing to see the buggies and wagons, and not be the only ones who are stared at because of their apparel! ;)

We found a little store that we selling apples, and bought a bushel of Red Delicious and a peck of Honey Crisps for $10 each; what a bargain! The owner of the store, Mr. Yoder, took time to come out and talk to us, while swinging on one of two porch swings out front. Not quite like shopping in the city!

We felt truly at home in Amish country, and it was a little difficult dragging ourselves away and heading back to "civilization." Seeing all the farmhouses along the way, and picking up a local small town newspaper and perusing the "farms for sale" section helped to fuel our dream of finding our own place beyond the sidewalks. We know it's out there somewhere!

Thank you so much for coming along with us today, and may all your worthy dreams come true.

Love,

Marqueta