Oh my gosh, so much has happened in my life and I have been so busy that my blogging fell by the wayside. You know, you get to the point that you just get SO incredibly busy that something has to give. For me it was this. Things here are still busy, but I have been visiting a few of my favorite blogs and have realized how very much I have missed this! The sense of community, of sharing, of togetherness.
So, to catch you all up a bit...In February, my Honey retired from 23 years of service to our country. In May, he retired from his position with the National Guard. His job depended on him being a soldier and once he retired from that, he had to retire from the other. He has moved up to my house. While the original plan was for him to stay with me until he could find his own place, circumstances have changed and we will now be moving in together, which I will go into in a little while.
Then in March, I was let go from my job. While it was an actual blessing, due to severely stressful working conditions, it did extremely limit my lifestyle and my income. I took a couple of months to regroup, taking photos where I could to make some extra money, and then blessedly found a job in mid-June. It is a much less stressful job, with more pay and better benefits. Farther from home, but worth the trade off.
In the meantime, during my time off, I ended up moving several people, besides my Honey. One of them being my father. He and his new wife decided that their 2 story, full basement, 2 lot home was simply too much for them to care for any more and they needed to downsize. Thankfully, they allowed us 4 kids to come in and lay claim to a few things that were especially treasured. Quilts from my grandmother! Pictures! Beautiful china! I was so excited to have the items, yet so incredibly sad to see my childhood home being prepared for new owners, strangers, to come and live within the walls. The day they moved out was a heart wrenching ordeal for all of us!
A few weeks later, my two older brothers came to me seperately and suggested that I buy dad's house. I told them that I was not in a place to buy a house yet because I had just started my job and was still on a probabationary period. They kept pressing the issue. So I talked to my Honey and he mentioned that maybe my dad would be willing to rent the house to me until such time as I could get a mortgage. I mulled the thought for several days and decided that maybe it was just what I needed. So I approached my dad with my plan and of course right away he was full of excuses why it wouldn't work. But after a week of him checking things out and mulling it over, he came to me and said he would let me. I tell you, I could have just about jumped to Heaven! I was going to be living in my house, my mom's house, the family home! I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I couldn't hold back the tears!
So the last few weeks have been a whirlwind of packing, painting, priming, cleaning, moving. Ugh...such a mess! But so very worth it! The house is 3 bedrooms with 1 bathroom.It has a front screened in porch with a porch swing perfect for sultry summer nights listening to crickets and watching fireflies. It also has a 3 season porch on back, perfect for my sewing/craft/reading room! It is 100 years old and sits on 2 lots! So much room! There is a garden, compost bin and lots of room for flowers. I want to put in raspberries, rhubarb, and some apple trees! Not only are my kids and I ecstatic over this, my brothers and neices and nephews are as well. In fact, 2 of my nephews came to the house last weekend for the first time in over 6 months. They were there 2 out of 3 days and just couldn't stop smiling! I will be posting pictures soon!
While Honey and I are trying to make it our home together, there have been some MAJOR speed bumps along the way and it may not work after all. We have been together for 7 years and there has been more arguing since he moved in with me than in all the years prior combined! I hate it! I miss what we had and wish it hadn't changed. I keep praying to God to show me my path and continue to trust in Him.
So, with all that being said, I also feeling a bit down. I turned 43 a week or so ago and I look at where my life is as opposed to where I wanted it to be. For so many years, I have wanted to live a more simple, self sufficient lifestyle and yet, where am I? Stuck where I was 10 years ago. :-( So I have renewed my efforts to become debt-free and self sufficient. I am also refraining from buying anything new, instead resorting to thrift/second hand stores. The only thing being undergarments, shoes and food (maybe a couple of other personal items as well). If I am going to live the life I have always dreamed and now have the house to do it in, now is the time to start. And if, God forbid, Honey and I's relationship falls apart and I have to go it alone, I need to be in a place financially so that I do not lose the family home.
Enough for now....I will try very hard to keep posting more, including pictures so you all can see progress! Wait till you see!! Such gloriously exciting times! Praise God for his abundance!
So, to catch you all up a bit...In February, my Honey retired from 23 years of service to our country. In May, he retired from his position with the National Guard. His job depended on him being a soldier and once he retired from that, he had to retire from the other. He has moved up to my house. While the original plan was for him to stay with me until he could find his own place, circumstances have changed and we will now be moving in together, which I will go into in a little while.
Then in March, I was let go from my job. While it was an actual blessing, due to severely stressful working conditions, it did extremely limit my lifestyle and my income. I took a couple of months to regroup, taking photos where I could to make some extra money, and then blessedly found a job in mid-June. It is a much less stressful job, with more pay and better benefits. Farther from home, but worth the trade off.
In the meantime, during my time off, I ended up moving several people, besides my Honey. One of them being my father. He and his new wife decided that their 2 story, full basement, 2 lot home was simply too much for them to care for any more and they needed to downsize. Thankfully, they allowed us 4 kids to come in and lay claim to a few things that were especially treasured. Quilts from my grandmother! Pictures! Beautiful china! I was so excited to have the items, yet so incredibly sad to see my childhood home being prepared for new owners, strangers, to come and live within the walls. The day they moved out was a heart wrenching ordeal for all of us!
A few weeks later, my two older brothers came to me seperately and suggested that I buy dad's house. I told them that I was not in a place to buy a house yet because I had just started my job and was still on a probabationary period. They kept pressing the issue. So I talked to my Honey and he mentioned that maybe my dad would be willing to rent the house to me until such time as I could get a mortgage. I mulled the thought for several days and decided that maybe it was just what I needed. So I approached my dad with my plan and of course right away he was full of excuses why it wouldn't work. But after a week of him checking things out and mulling it over, he came to me and said he would let me. I tell you, I could have just about jumped to Heaven! I was going to be living in my house, my mom's house, the family home! I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I couldn't hold back the tears!
So the last few weeks have been a whirlwind of packing, painting, priming, cleaning, moving. Ugh...such a mess! But so very worth it! The house is 3 bedrooms with 1 bathroom.It has a front screened in porch with a porch swing perfect for sultry summer nights listening to crickets and watching fireflies. It also has a 3 season porch on back, perfect for my sewing/craft/reading room! It is 100 years old and sits on 2 lots! So much room! There is a garden, compost bin and lots of room for flowers. I want to put in raspberries, rhubarb, and some apple trees! Not only are my kids and I ecstatic over this, my brothers and neices and nephews are as well. In fact, 2 of my nephews came to the house last weekend for the first time in over 6 months. They were there 2 out of 3 days and just couldn't stop smiling! I will be posting pictures soon!
While Honey and I are trying to make it our home together, there have been some MAJOR speed bumps along the way and it may not work after all. We have been together for 7 years and there has been more arguing since he moved in with me than in all the years prior combined! I hate it! I miss what we had and wish it hadn't changed. I keep praying to God to show me my path and continue to trust in Him.
So, with all that being said, I also feeling a bit down. I turned 43 a week or so ago and I look at where my life is as opposed to where I wanted it to be. For so many years, I have wanted to live a more simple, self sufficient lifestyle and yet, where am I? Stuck where I was 10 years ago. :-( So I have renewed my efforts to become debt-free and self sufficient. I am also refraining from buying anything new, instead resorting to thrift/second hand stores. The only thing being undergarments, shoes and food (maybe a couple of other personal items as well). If I am going to live the life I have always dreamed and now have the house to do it in, now is the time to start. And if, God forbid, Honey and I's relationship falls apart and I have to go it alone, I need to be in a place financially so that I do not lose the family home.
Enough for now....I will try very hard to keep posting more, including pictures so you all can see progress! Wait till you see!! Such gloriously exciting times! Praise God for his abundance!
Keeping you, your family, your healing, and your progress in my thoughts and prayers. I love you Sugar. You can do this...I have faith in you. <3.
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