The Buyert Christmas Blog

Family and Friends.........
Tonight I sit by the fireplace in our "new" home.....it is strange for me because it is the house I grew up in, so it is like moving back home only I added my family , my stuff and my mom isn't here to cook and clean!. It began this fall when Dan and Mom purchased a new home in Sioux Center.....we made plans to move to the "home" place. Chad and Jenna made plans to purchase our farm by putting their house on the market. To make a long story short....Chad and Jenna sold their house in town and we all moved with in 8 days................ So yes life has had some big changes here!! We have all had mixed emotions but it has been good and we feel very blessed.
Daniel and Brianne live in Doon and we see them often. Patience and Christian started school this year, Olivia turns four this week and Danika turned one in August. They helped with harvest and we got to enjoy having family around.
Chad and Jenna celebrated their first anniversary in Oct. They are getting settled in "our " house...... we are so glad to keep good neighbors! She already came to borrow sour cream this morning!
Justin and Kate got engaged this fall and have set June 4, 2011 as their wedding date! Justin is working at the NRCS office in Anamosa Ia and Kate is at Northwestern............The volleyball team plays at the National tournament this week in Sioux City so we are planning a fun week in Sioux City.
David is taking some classes at NCC in the morning and then Western in the afternoon. He continues to work at the Hardware store after school andweek-ends. He spends time with friends hunting, fishing and boating. ....He is not sure what next year will hold for him and doesn't really want to decide right now!
Dan and I continue to farm and enjoy our family. We love spending time with the grandkids and following NW sports. We find ourselves home a lone more often and are starting to have time again for time with friends and doing things together.
We think of all our family and Friends this Holiday Season and we wish you your families a wonderful holiday season.

Home is where your heart is...................

I have lived in the same half mile my whole life...... I have farmed my whole life. We have lived on our farm now for 25 years............we have many memories here ......raised our kids here.....had many family and friends gather here.........worked many hours here. We love it here. It is home. As farm kids we always planned to move to the "Home " place where my grandparents lived and now my parents live. I love that place.........it has many wonderful memories for me as a child and as an adult. It has always been a place with an open door........a place where family gathered. I have a sense of pride to be a part of the generations of the hardworking, trustworthy people of faith that brought me up there and I have had the priviledge to continue to be a part of that.
     Recently my parents bought a house in town. I wanted to capture in photos some things from the farm that would remind them of the farm..........this turned out to be one of my favorites. This water fountain is right behind the house by the back door.........it has had a metal cup hanging on it as long as I can remember. This to me is a special place........it was and still is , a "gathering " spot. I can see my grandpa standing there getting a drink after coming in from the field. We would all gather there...........discuss plans for the day.......talk about politics.....religion.....family.......morals .......values and just things about  everyday life. Our kids  (and now grandkids) would always have to get a drink from there before we left. Water is always better and colder from a tin cup!
      The point of this entry is that I am moving "home". My parents are moving to town.......Dan  and I (and we think David) are moving to the "home" place. Chad and Jenna sold their house in town just today and our moving to Our place. AND we are planning a wedding!  I think we all have mixed emotions about this move.......Dad has lived out here all his life. together they have lived here over 50 years. Dan and I have farmed here for 30 years. Chad and Jenna leave their "first" house . Daniel and Brianne and their family come here often. They too are a part of this place as a gathering to celebrate events .....help on the farm and be part of our home  and family. To the grandkids this is "Grandpa and "grandma's" house.
To Kate this is still home......her safe place to come too. She doesn't like change and wants to hang on too the traditions and familiar surroundings of her childhood. David's first reaction was to stay here.........this is home......I am not moving. A little time and a lot of talking about future plans has changed his outlook some and as of right now he  is coming with us! Change is hard for eveyone.
      SO...........we all need to move by Thanksgiving.............that gives us 20 days!  BUT what an answer to prayers for this all to fall into place. As I started packing boxes to day I struggled a bit.....made me think about what is important and what I value..........our house is just a house..........our "things" are just "things"....... What I value most is the family that gathers here.......    A lot of changes here........but Home is where the Heart is..........