Our Homestead Love Story

Winter is a good time for reflection.  It has a quiet energy that moves you into a space of peaceful contemplation.  As I fully embrace the darkness and quiet, it gives me time to really open my heart to where we are, where we have been, and where we want to continue to go and grow as a family.  There have been many honest conversations hearts whispering to one another in the stillness and comfort of dark.  Perhaps the absence of bright light allows a soul to softly peer deeper within.

With hands and hearts held tightly, my man and I continue to explore what it is, which direction our paths should take in this season of life, and it occurs to me that no matter what direction our paths take, or have taken in the past, they always circle back around to our homestead, to a family-centered, simple, self-sustaining lifestyle.  A dig in the dirt, hard work, sweat on brow, made with own hands sort of life.  A life filled with love, embracing the seasons shoulder-to-shoulder, heart-to-heart, fully and simply all in for it all, together.

As we continue to explore with hands held tightly, my man and I, I wanted to share a little bit about who we are, and why we do what we do.  So here it is, Our Homestead Love Story.

Our happy little homestead began growing roots long ago.  A horse-lovin, butterfly chasin’ country girl met a true grit, down to earth family man.  It was love from the beginning.  Never mind they were teenagers….

Not all stories are love stories, but our homestead story is.  Love is what its all about, and sharing that love was the motivating reason for this blog.  When I began writing, I envisioned a beautiful space to share wisdom and knowledge with others that I had gleaned along the way, but also to share the joys and the hardships of learning to let go, learning to become more and more self-sufficient, and mostly learning to love and trust that life is beautiful, and God is good.

Our homestead and our homesteading skills have developed organically, gently budding, unfolding, and growing, ever changing with the season of life we have passed through.  We continue to practice the skill sets that serve us, learning new, and growing as we go, but also letting go and learning from the moments that no longer fit the season we are in.  This is intentional living.  Being and becoming aware of what you embrace in life and when it is time to acknowledge with gratitude, and bid farewell.  Knowing that what it is that you are letting go of in grace, has helped you and grown you as much as possible, and you must now say good-bye to move forward.  Embracing the unknown, opening hearts, minds, and body to learning what is yet to come, whether a new skill, or a new moment in life that is going to grow you into a better you.  Often times, they are one in the same.

We were both lucky, my man and I, that our parents raised us with skills.  Our parents and grandparents were and are independent individuals with strong hearts and convictions.  We strive to pass this on to our children, a skill-set that helps them to be resilient, self-sufficient, independent minded, and followers of their wild hearts.  We want to encourage them to follow their dreams, know the ways of those who have come before, so that they too, can choose an different path, an independent lifestyle that allows them the freedom to create the life they want to live.  To follow the path with courage that God has intended for them.  To grow their roots strong and deep so that they may grow and bloom their lives into fruition.

This is the love that sustains our homestead.  This is our homestead love story.  A love of living closely to the land and seasons, the love of a simple, intentional life, the love of growing and guiding children.  This is why we chose this life and continue to choose this life.  A simple existence filled with the love of a family, working, learning, growing together each and every day.  This is why I write.  To share our journey, to allow others to see that it is not only possible to live and survive this way, but also to thrive and grow, allow a beautiful life to unfold each and every day.  To encourage and embrace the less traveled path.  To count blessings and moments, live fully, deeply, and madly in love.

I do not know where God will take us, but I do know that I will continue to write and share our journey, our hearts, and our story.  I strive to create community amongst other like minded souls so that we all may continue to live and grow together no matter where our roots are planted.