***~~~ Please click on any pictures to enlarge~~~***

Thursday, July 10, 2008

A Little About Us.....

I decided yesterday that I don't want this blog to just be about all of the redoing we will be doing on our new home but also about the lives that are led inside these walls. We are a conservative Christian family. We have not always been, but God eventually brought us around to this path we are now on. My husband and I met when I was 16 and he was 21. We have been married for 18 years and have 3 children, Katherine 16, Lindsey 13, and Peyton 11.


We started our lives and marriage chasing the "American Dream", that all mighty dollar. My husband was a licensed Contractor and built custom homes. For the 1st 16 years of our marriage we lived in 13 different homes. He would build a new home and if it didn't sell right away we would live in it and decorate it and then it would sell. It was a fun life but very high stress for my husband and very 24/7. We lived in nice, new, and sometimes pretty large homes. However, they were always in a subdivision. Which is not a bad thing in itself but during all of this, our 16 year old Katherine, had been taking horseback riding/jumping lessons. She longed for a horse of her own. We, of course, were no where near that path or lifestyle.

Anyway, fast forward over the next few years we would come to grow closer to the Lord. We hadn't sold out 100% to Him, and I don't even know if we are there yet, but we were walking more and more with Him. I had been teaching in a small Christian school where my children went. My youngest was 4 and he was in the K-4 program there. I loved the job and the children but I felt like I was loosing a closeness to my family and my children. At this time, we started researching homeschooling and by the next year we were all home. It has not been an easy road but it has been the most rewarding road. I share a relationship with my children that I could not have even imagined.

Now, we will come up to May of 2004, my husband had been in the Army or Ms. National Guard since he was 17. He joined to get the GI Bill for college and stayed in because he loved it. Well in May of 2004 he got the call for activation to go to Iraq. He would be leaving in August. We had 3 months to finish houses, dissolve the business, and get settled. I can not tell you how heart wrenching and stressful this time was. We really didn't have time to really mourn the fact that daddy was going to be gone for 18 months because there was so much mourning of the life we were changing from. I know how selfish that sounds, but in keeping it real, that's where we were. Anyway, Ronnie left in August and I finished up the contracting of his last house, which was a nightmare of its own. Then we started our new chapter. The kids and I slowed down, and really got to take note of our life, and how we were living, and what was really important to us. For Ronnie and I it was a big time of reflection. We were renting a house in a subdivision in town and when Ronnie came home for his 2 week leave in June of 2005, we moved to another rental home in the country on 10 acres. We loved it. I would never have thought we would. Ronnie came home Dec. 28, 2005. He had no idea what he was going to do career wise. We did not want to start the business over from scratch. You do those things when you are young and stupid.LOL So he stayed on full time with the guard until he could get a job with a big construction firm as a Construction Manager. As he was full time, we really started to enjoy the fact that when he came home the job was over. He had a ton of time off and when he was off he wasn't consumed with the job. We were really enjoying life. We got Katherine her first horse and we got our middle daughter a few chickens. We were really seeing the life we wanted, unfold before our eyes. It just kind of fell in our laps.

So now to the present. My honey works full time for the Ms. National Guard. We make much less money. We are still homeschooling. We moved an hour and a half from our childhood town,so that he could take this job. The house we ended up buying is 20 mins. from a small town with a WalMart and about 40 mins. from a town with a Lowes and Hobby Lobby (the important places). We now have 3 horses, 24 chickens, 4 guineas, 1 rabbit, 3 barn cats, and 3 dogs. We see a chicken we don't have and just seem to keep collecting, it may be a problem. We live on a small acreage and hope to put out plenty of fruit trees and bushes, this next fall. It's a very slow and simple life, we are now living, but we love it!!!

So if anyone can come turn 180 degrees, we did and it was great.

There is so much more that I could fill in like all of the many, many things the Lord has shown us on the way but it would be so long and you would never make it to the end. Which you probably haven't now, but if you have, here is a glimpse of our life.


post signature

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing a bit of you. Sometimes we just mudle through our lives then God really speaks to us.... Im sure yall are just where he wants you to be... Susie h~

Whitney said...

Sounds like you have led a very interesting and crazy busy life! :) Thanks for sharing - sounds like fun.

I am Mom said...

Thank you for sharing - its always neat to hear how God has His way with us! I'll be back to see the decor ideas too!

Anonymous said...

Sometimes it's not about the money we make but HOW we live our life. It sounds like your life right now is wonderful. I would love to have chickens and a horse. I would even add a cow or two. My son and I talk about this all the time. We live in suburbia and crave the simple life.

Brandee :-)

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for sharing this testament with us.

We all experience so many blessings in life, yet I think many fail to take the time to stop and recognize their blessings.

I'm so happy for you and your family.

Aunt Julie said...

What a wonderful, touching story! It's always a good idea to stop and "smell the roses," isn't it? BTW, I'm new to blogging, and I'm running a Great Giveaway on my blog this week. Please drop by to see me--OK, SITSta?

Inspired Kara said...

Trixi-

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I will make sure to post a picture of the bed when it moves in next weekend. I bought fabulous white, fluffy, cotton eyelet bedding. Can't wait!

I was really touched by your story, thanks for sharing. It's amazing how god settles our lives so we can run after Him even faster.

Liz Harrell said...

Trixi, this is a lovely story. I'm so happy that God has led you to the life you love, even though it probably isnt what you imagined when you started out.

Unknown said...

what a GREAT testimony.i enjoyed reading it this morning. thanks for sharing. it is always a blessing to see how God is working in someone's life!

Sarah Mae said...

This life you live now sounds absolutley perfectly delightful to me. Thank you for sharing this.

Anonymous said...

Great post! Your blog is so pretty.

Rue said...

Hi Trixi :)

Sometimes the best posts are when we share ourselves. It was great to learn about you.

I've never had to endure being away from Rich because he's a recruiter for the Army now, but he's been over there 5 times. I'm sorry you had to go through that.

Btw, I'm putting you on my blog roll. If you would like to take that award I gave out yesterday, I would love for you to have it :)

rue

Shannon said...

Isn't God GOOD?!? He never lets us down or leaves us. Thanks for sharing. PS I do not understand our skinny mantel either! :)

Charm and Grace said...

Wow an amazing, unfinished story. A very interesting life. My husband and I currently live in an suburban neighborhood, but long for the slow and simple life. He is longing for chickens and a garden ...and rows of peas. So, we're looking for somewhere to plant ourselves a bit off the beaten path, if that is what the Lord would have for us. Thanks for giving inspiration.

Blessings,
Christi

Lora @ my blessed life said...

What a great post! Very inspiring and encouraging, too.
I enjoyed my visit here, I know I'll be back. I'll appreciate reading more of your thoughts on homeschooling. I'm beginning that journey with my daughter this fall.

AudreyO said...

I enjoyed reading your post. I have moved as many times as you have but for very different reasons. Right now, we've been in this house for just over a year. One good thing about moving, we dont' collect clutter as we don't want to have to pack it and move it.

Empty Nest Full Life said...

Thanks for visiting and for sharing about what God has done in your life. Oh, if young marrieds could grasp how much peace there is in following God as opposed to following the "american dream". I have been a little timid about sharing personal things, but you have encouraged me to step out there. Have a great week

Anonymous said...

Good morning to you Miss Trixie! Susie h~

Anonymous said...

I'm on the curve of that 180 turn. Right now it's a little scary, but exciting.
It's wonderful how your perspective changes isn't it?
I'm glad you shared your story.

Gettysburg Homestead said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog today and leaving such a sweet comment.

I am glad I stopped today at yours to read such a wonderful post. I have always believed that many people search for the American dream and then once reached aren't happy with what they have. So thank you for posting such an brave outlook and wonderful chnages you and your family have made.

Mary

Heather said...

What a fantastic story! I have wanted chickens for years! Everyone always looks at me like I am nuts though!! I grew up in a very rural town and one of our neighbors raised chickens.....it was so nice to have fresh eggs for breakfast! And the chickens were so fun to watch!
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! It is nice to "meet" you!
I am glad your husband returned safely. Thank him for me and my family for his service! God Bless you all!
-Heather :)

Tam said...

HI, read your post...I know lots about being a FULL TIMERS WIFE. AGR....anyway wanted to say hi. MY hubs spent 18 months in IRAQ from dec2004 to may of 2006