'LIVING SIMPLY' SERIES

Throughout this quarantine, I've realized something...

We've been quarantining since before it was trending. (Kidding, kind of.)

But there's honestly a little bit of truth to that statement. One of the reason's I had such a hard time adjusting to the "quarantine rules" is because they snuck up on me. Because other than school, our day to day didn't really change around here.

Michael and I both work from home, and we live in the middle of nowhere. It's 20 minutes to the closest grocery store (located in our small town)...so we are used to being isolated. We are used to going days or weeks (during Summer) without going into town to get groceries. And we are used to having little to no outside entertainment or connection (unless we create it on our own).

We also don't have cable. And we limit our children's time online. 

So really, what changed for us when the world shut down?

The freedom to choose. 

The beauty of living in a rural area is this: you have space and isolation when you want it...but you always have the option to see people if you choose. Until that is suddenly taken away...

If you live in a city during this quarantine, you can still feel a connection to humanity...just by seeing people through your window. But here, we can go weeks without seeing another human being. We have to work at staying connected. And when all possibility of connection is taken from you, it can be a struggle.

We've adjusted, just like the rest of the world. And I know we will be better for it. I can already feel it. We've hit our stride, and I'm already so grateful for this time with my family. 

It's reminded me why we moved here in the first place: to live more SIMPLY. To cling to each other and God. To be removed from distractions, and closer to nature. To learn from the land around us, and to have a sense of stillness...in a world that seems to get more chaotic by the minute.

And even during an isolated quarantine, we've never looked back. (Okay, except for the one night I broke down in the bathtub. You win some you lose some.)

Simple living may not be for everyone but it has served our family so well. We completely uprooted our city lives to move here, and in the process...learned a thing or two. So over the next few weeks I'll be talking about ways we can all have a little bit of "rural" in our lives. You don't have to move to the country to live simply. You just have to adopt the mentality.

This series will be brought to you by Leland's Sheds and Cabins, who knows first hand how to create a sense of escape, minimal living, and return to nature with their sheds, cabins, and homes. I was first introduced to Leland's last year when we found our dream shed (outhouses are a crucial part of rural living) and I immediately fell in love with their company and their cause. They are our go-to for sheds and cabins, and their dedication to community service and quality products has made us customers for life. So grateful to know them.

I hope you'll follow along, friends. And in the meantime, happy quarantining!

XO, Alli