As 2011 Fades

Life is an amazing thing. You think you know where you are going, or what you want, and so you guide the reins in that direction. Yet, somehow you arrive in a totally different place. When I was divorced from my first marriage, I assumed that I might find someone some day, but that kids were probably not going to be a part of that relationship. Then I met Shelby, and my world changed drastically for the better - we have three beautiful children together, plus the fortune of having our two girls from my previous marriage in our lives as well. When we moved to Florida, we were ready to settle forever and buy a house close enough to the beach to be able to go after work whenever we wanted. And now, here we are, planning the livestock and garden of our new home in rural Ohio. Our journey would make a great book - our adventure has always been to move forward, strive to reach our goals, but to never, ever lose the fun and love in life and our family!

The difference of our life between January of this year and today is so extreme that it scares me a little. I am still not sure what the purpose of our apartment life at Hazel was, but I am sure that it had a purpose. We started the year despising where we lived, and end the year in our dream home in the country where we can sit outside and enjoy nature, life, and peace. The year has passed so quickly that I have to remind myself that it's ok that I am still trying to find that job and it is ok that we still have boxes waiting to be unpacked. Next year will prove to be just as busy, as we build our barn and fencing, get and learn how to raise our animals, work on our home projects, and hopefully begin my teaching career. Our home next year will have chickens, goats, and sheep for sure, as well as bees and maybe a couple turkeys. We will be eating from our garden and our chickens and our bees as we learn and grow, day by day. But, for now, it is a good time to reflect on just how far we have come in a year and to enjoy our family and our home in Camden, Ohio.

I want to wish all of our friends and family a wonderful, joyous, and peaceful holiday season! Thank you for being a part of our life, even when so much of our time has been consumed while getting and settling in our home. I also wish you a new year of hopes, dreams, and the adventure of life that continues to amaze us! Hold on tight - you never know what new and exciting change is around the next corner! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!