Rowdywith4: The Good. The Bad. The Ugly: Farmer's Dream

Do you have a dream? I've been dreaming a lot this past month as I drive the old country roads God has placed me on. I want to share a farmer's dream with you...

In eighth grade, he dropped out of school to begin farming to support his elderly parents while his twin continued with his schooling; graduating college with a mathematic's degree.

In his late twenties, he met his sweetheart who loved everything about homesteading. Graduating high school, she received a college scholarship for home economics. He found himself a keeper for sure. They soon married the summer of 1940.

During WWII, as a farmer he was deferred. He had been leasing land so he could farm peanuts. Peanut oil was used to build bombs. He earned enough money to put down on a farm in 1946. It had a little house to raise their two children, and more children would soon follow.

He continued to farm and also contract houses to support his family. His wife would use her skills in sewing to contribute. They always had twenty head of cattle, hogs, and lots of chickens that ran loose chased by children.

In 1960, he would move his wife and five children that still lived at home into the barn. They lived there while he tore down the old house and built a new one with the help of his son-in-law. Preserving materials from the old house, he used it to build their new home on a cement foundation.

In the 1970's, now in his fifties, he had another good crop of peanuts. This time he was able to pay off his farm and he owned hundreds of acres with a farmhouse built with his very own hands. He had a home filled with love, laughter, six kids and later many grandkids. He lived there with his love until he passed away in 2000.

So what was his dream? Was it to be a farmer? Own hundreds of acres? Build a house with his own hands designed by himself?

I don't know...but here is what I do know!

I'm sure this farmer had a dream for his farm that he worked so hard for his entire life. What would happen to his old farmhouse? It became my dream. Now his granddaughter will be chasing chickens with his four great-grandchildren.

After talking with my dad today, I believe my granddaddy had one regret. Not finishing school like his wife and brother. He left one dream unfinished...

Here are some truths I found in hidden treasures today...

The floor plans drawn by my Granddaddy Lee. He was intelligent! My plans are always drawn in crayon. Must be the child in me!

I found all the receipts of purchases for lumber, plumbing, and materials bundled together.

Why did he keep this? We keep what is important to us. Right? Maybe in the beginning he had regrets, but when it was all said and done, he lived his dream!

Overall. Next to Joseph, he is the biggest dreamer I know! He worked hard to achieve them! I want to dream just like him!