off the grid

Colorado has many things California doesn't, but the one thing that is the same is the sea of houses you see from any hilltop. out here there is a HUGE air force base, so there are thousands of military families in addition to the thousands of families that are already here.

I think a couple different things when I see that kind of view. one of my reactions is wow, look at all these people! all these people that God created, with a plan for each one. and one house doesn't equal one person, it probably equals more like 3 to 5 per household. but usually I think wow, look at all these people, what a rat-race! are we living on a compound of some kind?! all these houses look the same; it's one humongous maze of people.

and I suppose this is how it is in most of our country now. I guess what else can you expect with billions of people; where else would they go? you have to put houses that close together now, with a grocery store and a playground in every neighborhood.
have you seen Edward Scissorhands? remember the scene when all the husbands are off to work, having the same car, backing out of the driveway at the same time, all the wives waving goodbye from the house, which are all the same except painted a different color? I also love the intro to the show Weeds. both are exactly what I'm talking about.

that's what I tend to see, it sort of disgusts me. why? we all got here the same way (meaning God made us all without us asking for it) so I'm just like them, right? I'm not doubting God at all or questioning his plan, I'm having issues with how the world has changed His intention. I think I just really want to be in a place where I feel close to God, and suburbia just doesn't cut it for me.
the world has really imposed negativity on our lives - you need this, this, and that to be successful. and that list of things you need always seems to get longer, and it always takes money, and it's become so ingrained as an obligation instead of for passion or for a calling.

there is so much to vent about.

what hubby and I have come to the conclusion on is that life needs to be simpler. it's become so complicated; for many reasons I suppose. when we sit and think about what is really important, we always come back to how our lives will impact our children. what will we pass on? that you must conform?

you may have guessed, we're back on the home-schooling route.

hubby likes to call it "getting off the grid." that doesn't [necessarily] mean we're going to be farmers. he still needs a job to make money; that part we can't get around. but as we live a simpler life, we won't need to spend as much.
we are here for now, in suburbia. but as we learn the area (because we plan on staying here) we'll be looking around for a house with land.

our current house has a good sized backyard, so we plan to start practicing. we want to grow our own herbs and veggies, which means we'll be starting a compost, we'd like a greenhouse, and I want some chickens. cluck cluck! basically, we want to liver greener, and I don't mean just buy organically (sorry, but that to me seems so trendy) but to really use natural resources.

it will be journey, but it's one we both totally agree on ... and for those of you who know us, we don't agree on much. this is the first time in a loooooong time that hubby and I are loving being together, fighting the same fight. it's exciting!