It took us years to make it to the homestead, but we are finally here.

It was nearly 8 years ago that we decided that we wanted a more natural lifestyle, something sustainable and clean. We searched for land from Alaska to New York, Texas to Michigan. We even contemplated a move to New Zealand! We entered into a contest for an Alaskan homestead. We searched and made attempts, planned and had things fall through, and cried and sighed and waited. But God had just the right place for us at just the right time.

In December we found a lovely little place with 7 acres and a 1930’s house in our state. We worked with a realtor from our church, and worked with a lending broker. We knew that it had to meet certain criteria for us to get an FHA loan, and after weeks of back and forth with the owners, realtors, inspectors, and bank, we were finally ready to move on this. We put in our offer and it was accepted. Our closing date was set.

Then the government shut down…

We were devastated. We thought for sure that God was closing yet another door.

I was also 8 months pregnant at the time with our sixth, so emotions were high.

We asked for an extension, and the owners granted it. We waited.

Verity was born on January 14th, three weeks early by c-section due to preeclampsia and extra fluid. She came out screaming, but moments later went silent, stopped breathing and turned blue. Doctors surrounded her and blocked her from my view while they jammed tubes down her throat to suction fluid from her lungs.

Thank God she only needed about 20 minutes of help, and didn’t need to be taken to the NICU. She was done being treated before I was done being stapled together.

We took our new baby home to our horrid rental wondering how we would manage 6 kids in an over priced rental with no yard in the city.

Still the Government didn’t open. We asked for a second extension. The owners were becoming leary about our situation, but granted it again.

We packed and hoped and healed.

We had to ask for a third extension. The Owners weren’t sure they wanted to keep up this charade, but then the government opened! The owners granted the extension, the government granted pur loan, and we were finally able to close on the homestead.

We were so ready that we literally had a trailer filled, and pulled it behind our 15 passenger van to the closing. As soon as we got the keys we started unloading and moving in.

It has been a crazy ride, and moving so soon after a c-section, and with a newborn is certainly not something I would recommend, but it has been worth it.

Our lives certainly haven’t slowed down any since then. It has only been 2 and a half months on the homestead and we already have over 60 animals, but I will save those stories for other posts.