Life, so complicated yet so simple. Growing up we are taught about the ideal way of life. But what if you wake up one day and realize that this “American Dream” is not bringing you joy? What do you do, do you just keep pretending or do you make a change? We have one chance in this thing we call life, why would we not live it in a way to bring ourselves joy each day? These are all the questions we began to ask ourselves. Maybe we did not just wake up one day and have all the questions, but after years of too much job stress and then a major life change, these are exactly the questions we began to ask ourselves.
In my morning readings, I read this recently and this really stuck with me so I am going to share with you.
“If we read on in Genesis 11, we learn that “Terah lived 205 years and Terah died in Haran: He died where he settled. I think many people just settle somewhere and die in that place. They may not die physically, but their dream dies; their vision dies; their passion dies; their zeal dies. Their enthusiasm for life dies. Why? Because they gave up and did not press into the best God had for them. You will face different types of pain and encounter difficulties as you go through life. You simply have to choose which kind of pain you want – the pain of pressing through or the pain of giving up. Only the pain of pressing through brings reward.”
What do your dreams look like? Are your dreams and passions so big or do they seem simple? No matter what they are, they are YOUR dreams and that is something amazing. How can you begin the process of making your dreams come to life? Maybe this is a gathering of people that get together to do the same thing, start developing a plan. Maybe this is a dream of helping a specific group of people, start looking at the need, the plan and the business side of it. Recently it was shared with me how an individual who had so much trauma in his life, had decided he wanted to open a recovery center. This individual had suffered trauma and then masked that trauma with drug use. He was able to receive help and recover and wanted to be able to give others that same joy. This individual had no degree, no business experience, but he had a dream. He went online and started taking some online business classes and began the process. To point he has a business plan, he has professionals lined up, he has begun the process of raising money! The point is, he had a dream and he began. Just begin, take one baby step towards that goal/dream that you have, don’t EVER stop living! Sometimes our vision changes, that is ok. Sometimes “living” looks different than it did before, that is ok. Refuse to ever stop living, refuse to ever stop dreaming. There is always a way what are you willing to give up, what are you willing to do in order to make that happen is the question.
Progress here continues. It has been at a much slower pace as we are still waiting…. We have lots of family visiting or coming to visit in the coming weeks, and it is so fun to share our little piece of paradise with them. Chad started the process of fencing the property this last week. That will continue this week and maybe into the following. Chad and my brother (who is here visiting with his family) begun the process of building a front porch cover on the apartment. It will be so great once that is finished later in the week (waiting on metal). Materials for the barn (just the skeleton) will be ordered today and that process will begin in the next couple weeks too. Trusses for said barn will take some time, so that will be a little longer process. Our well is still not in, but they are right around the corner now! At least we get to see them making progress. Each time they move the truck, they are one more house to getting to us. Foundation is still not poured on house again concrete is still being allotted to companies and thus delaying that. Our contractors hope was next week he would be able to get enough trucks to pour, but we will see.
We are throughly enjoying summer, mixing work with play and exploring the area. We love having the river and reservoir so close. We make many visits each week down to cool off and play in the water.
Again, thank you for taking the time to follow our journey, until next time.
Oh my it has been a bit since we last posted. We got to spend a glorious 9 days in Oregon with our grand babies and big babies! Packed almost the last of our stuff and headed back home.
We came home to the septic drain field done and second tank set, so that was exciting! We hit the ground running and got the conduit and electrical wire all ran from tank to tank. It was like 400 feet and we busted that out as a team in like 2 hours. I do have to say I am throughly impressed with what we can do together. We also came home to a driveway!!! Woot woot, never thought I would be excited about a bunch of overpriced rocks.
Got the uhaul unpacked and two more trailers and then have been working on lots of odd and end stuff. Broke out the “new toy” a brush hog and have been working different areas with that. Talk about total instant gratification, that girl is a beast! Mowed down my garden area and got black plastic laid to begin the process of prepping the area for next years garden. Found some wild medicinal herbs here on the property on a morning walk, so that was amaze balls. Harvested and got those in the dehydrator, yes I am way nerdy when it comes to natures medicine. We will begin the fencing part of the property here in the next week or so. Chad went and picked up all the t-posts today. We have decided and marked off where we will build the barn and I think I really like the area. It will only be a roof at this point, but we will get it finished as we can.
Bummer news was that the well is not approximated until the end of the month. However, they are just down the road now, so at least we can see them making progress. There are 3 wells on South Hill and then we are next! Please keep your fingers crossed for us, I would really love our own water source.
We have all kinds of family coming to visit the next 30 days, so that will be fun to have them here. We continue to follow our journey and take each day just as that, a day. We fill blessed and honored to be walking this journey and will continue to keep the best that we can.
Cheers!
In the summer of 2020 we visited a very small town in Western Montana and fell in love. We decided then and there that we would someday retire there and start looking for our piece of land. In January of 2021 we traveled back to the area to look at some properties and quickly discovered that this was going to be more of a 10 year plan vs. retirement plan. We just could not overcome the feeling and belonging of being there. A since of calm and peace that was missing in our lives. We know no one, but yet every person you meet feels like you have known them forever.
Have you ever woke up and just knew something in your life had to change? On the outside we were living “The American Dream” on the inside the stress of an unhealthy job and life occurence’s, it was just all becoming too much! I hope that we all take time on a regular basis to ask ourselves some of these really important questions. What brings you joy? What is joy? Are you happy (be honest)? What do you feel you could change to bring that to your life?
We knew in our hearts that if change did not happen in our lives, we would never brake that cycle, so we believed in ourselves, in our family and our faith to lead, guide and protect us. We took advantage of a hot real estate market, our financial freedom and said lets do it.
We chose to sell it all, and ask our children to either come with us (younger ones) and get very uncomfortable, or understand that our life needs change and I know it is really hard to have us leave (older ones), but this is what we need to do and we hope we will have your support. Guess what, not only did they all support us, but they were enthusiastic in our decision. Now don’t believe for one minute that did not come with emotions and fear, but they embraced it!