Country side

**The Country Kind of Love** In the beginning, there was a love that blossomed in the heart of the countryside. We would lie in an old hammock, sheltered by the sycamore trees, feeling the cool breeze brush against our skin. Those moments were a glimpse of the joys of country living: a large pitcher of lemonade cold in the icebox and Nana’s freshly washed laundry dancing in the wind. Everything felt so pure and carefree back then. My friend and I were soaring on a natural high, our laughter echoing through the air, shifting from giggles to hearty guffaws. Our joy mingled with the barking dogs and the chaotic clucking of chickens all around us. We held each other close, lost in our world until the stars emerged, twinkling overhead. Suddenly, Granddad called out, “Small Point! It’s time to come inside.” I still remember you hiding under the shed, trying to prolong those magical moments. In the beginning, there was love, and now, twenty years later, we celebrate the beautiful gift of five children.