Muddin

Don and Sherri shared their Exchange Student, Andrew, with us this year.  Andrew was welcomed with open arms into the craziness of Sweet Gum Head.  The main goal during our time together has been to let Andrew experience "The Country" in America.   

Of course anyone who has visited Sweet Gum Head knows that one of the BEST experiences is Mema's Cooking!  During supper we were enjoying a BIG country spread full of fresh vegetables, homemade dressing, homemade chicken and dumplings, and Mema topped it off with strawberry shortcake.  The boys kept asking for more shaving cream (whip cream) on their cake.  Andrew told Mema that he would have to bring some of these recipes for his Grandma to cook for him.  He really enjoyed the strawberries and shaving cream during dessert.  I would love the see the faces of his family when he tries to reassure them that shaving cream really is good on cake. 

During dinner Eric and Sherri were talking about fun childhood memories when the stories of "muddin" started. The more Eric thought about it, the more we had to let Andrew experience this redneck tradition before he left.   Did it matter to Eric that it was 8:30 the night before Mother's day? Of course not, Memories needed to be made and it was his job to get it done. 

 

 

Sherri and Colton hopped on the four wheeler to start this adventure, and everyone else got in the Truck or Gator and Headed to the field.  The First Laugh came when Sherri was pushing Colton out of a mud rut by standing right behind the tire which sprayed her with mud.  Quickly we were all covered in mud and having a Blast!  Colton and Andrew were all about getting dirty but the other kids were nervous yet excited about joining in.   Eric rode Gage and Hutch while Sherri took Evie and CeCe.  Curtis and Ashton decided to watch from the truck.  The kids loved every minute of it and were really impressive drivers when the adults had to push the four wheeler out of a hole.

After everyone was sufficiently covered in mud, Sherri challenged the kids to a race across the mud tracks.   The next big laugh came quickly after when yours truly took a nose dive right in to the mud at the word GO.  Colton blasted off and was given the title of Elf Legolas because it looked as if he barely touched the ground.  Cece's boots got stuck and she sunk up to her knees in mud before she was rescued.  Even while CeCe was stuck she still beat Hutch, who never made it to the starting line.  He was tiptoeing around trying to avoid Mud in the middle of a field of mud.

 

As the mud began to dry and cake on to our skin, We complained about the smell.  Mema quickly enlighten us to the fact that it most likely was not all mud.  This made shower time a little more urgent.  Did I say shower because I meant being sprayed down with a water hose.  After striping down and realizing how many crevices we have that mud found it's way into, we were all FREEZING and full of stories about the adventures of the night.  

 

City Girl lesson:  Opening your home and heart to others is a gift that I have experienced over and over again since we moved to Sweet Gum Head.  Andrew was from another Country but this year it has felt as if he was a part of the family.  Sharing all of what the country life is all about in one year is impossible.  Truthfully we did things our own children had not experienced.  We forget to go "muddin" because we get caught up in daily life.  It is easy to talk yourself out it by thinking we can do it tomorrow, next week, next year.  Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14   It is so important to take advantage of the time you are given.  Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today.

 

Thank you Andrew for reminding us how fun our country can be, thank you for challenging us to experience life through your eyes.  As my son cried to sleep when he realized this would be one of our last visit with you, there is no doubt you will be in our hearts and memories forever.