FARMHOUSE 654
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Podcast
  • Contact
  • Freebies
  • Disclosures
  • Shop 654 General Store

surreal.

12/18/2018

0 Comments

 
As most of you know, I am a first year Director of Special Services in the district where I have been teaching for the last ten years.

And it is almost Christmas break.

In fact, our students finished today and tomorrow we'll have a day of professional development and then thirteen days off before we start back in for second semester in January.

As I sat at my desk this afternoon wrapping up things for the first two quarters, I took a moment and looked around.

I had a few thoughts running through my mind.

"This is my office."
"These are my responsibilities." 
"I have almost survived the first semester as a school administrator."

And although I'm not quite there...I just ALMOST feel like I know what I'm doing.

This week, on my Facebook memories, a status popped up from two years ago...
Picture
At the time, just two short years ago, I had no idea how the opportunities would play out to get me where I am today.

Looking back, I can see the hand of God woven into the whole story...into the big moments and all the little details.

We bought the farmhouse in July of 2017.  We sold our home and started doing some updates to the farmhouse.  School started in August of 2017 and we were moving full-speed ahead remodeling, moving, and of course...getting ready for the school year. 

When my boss asked me if I would be interested in a leadership position and encouraged me to go finish my certification, I wasn't thinking it would be anytime soon. 

In fact, I had told Mr. Farmhouse that I was thinking I would probably teach for another 8-10 years and move into administration for the last 3-5 years of my career.

But during the craziness of moving a family of five during "back-to-school time", I got word that the Director of Special Services would be retiring and I was asked if I would be interested in the position.
Picture
Funny how we make our plans, isn't it?

​My 8-10 year plan turned into a one-year plan, where I was doing on-the-job training for my new job as I finished out my final year in the classroom.

This last few years have been intense and exhausting and exciting and challenging and exactly what I needed.

When I opened this Christmas gift today from a colleague of mine, my eyes filled with tears.
"Where God guides, He provides."  Isaiah 58:11

I have been stretched,
I have been challenged,
and I have been pushed out of my comfort zone.

I've had to learn a lot in a short amount of time and I have made many mistakes.

There are days that I want to cry over every little thing and days that I feel like I might just have this gig figured out.

And through it all...
through the frustrations and the calm...
through the uncertainty and the moments of confidence,
I've never wondered if this is the right place for me.

God has brought guidance, and He is still providing.

In the moment where I am feeling overwhelmed (like today!), the phone rings and a family has brought me a gift to thank me for my tiny part in the success of their babies. (Thanks, B family!)

The second I start to feel worry, my heart fills with peace at the thought that God opened all of the doors necessary to get me to this place.

When I walk down the hallway to bounce an idea off of the elementary principal, I find myself smiling at the thought that God has worked it out that my teaching partner and I have both ended up in leadership positions at the exact same time.

​These things are not accidental.

What an encouragement to know that He cares for little ol' me.

Resting in His providence here at the farmhouse,
Hannah

❤️🏡❤️
0 Comments

four gifts.

12/16/2018

0 Comments

 
I have so many wonderful memories of Christmas morning as a child.

There was the year that we woke up to 10-speed-bikes sitting in front of the tree, surrounding the rest of the gifts for my little brother and me.

There was the year that it was snowy and cold and after all the gifts were opened, we both got carried outside with our eyes closed to find the playhouse they had ready for us.  In fact, Mr. Farmhouse and I used that playhouse as our chicken coop until just last year when we moved to the farmhouse.

There was the year that he and I peeked at our gifts and our two "big gifts" were missing on Christmas morning.  My mom had saved them for last and had wrapped them up with our parents' names on the tags.  We were trying to play it cool like we didn't know they were missing, because we didn't realize they knew we had sneaked out to the shop to look...lesson learned!

Even into adulthood, we have always been provided with everything we ever dreamed of, so naturally I have wanted to provide the same feeling for my own girls.

However, we have some financial goals that we are working towards to be able to provide for them later in life...in high school when they need a vehicle to drive, to help them with college expenses, and of course, when they get married and start having children.

Going into debt or dipping into savings at Christmastime is tempting, but after working so hard for an entire year to save and work the debt snowball, we don't want to lose our progress at the end of the year because of gifts.
Over this last year, I read of a family who does four gifts for each of their kiddos --

something you want,
something you need,
something to wear,
something to read.

We presented this idea to the girls and they loved it.

I asked them to choose three things from each category and make me a list, so they would still be surprised on Christmas morning.
Picture
You guys.

I cannot even tell you how amazing the process has been.

The girls couldn't even think of three items for each category. 

They were sitting together at the dining room table as they tried to think long and hard about what they truly needed and the conversation they were having warmed my heart.

H: I can't think of anything for "something I need".  I don't think I need anything.
C: I put an electric toothbrush because mine broke a few weeks ago.
H: You know, I will be needing a new softball glove this year.  I'll put that on there.

The girls are completely aware that we would buy toothbrushes or softball gloves during other times of the year, but instead of using that gift slot for something else, they both decided to use it to replace items that are worn out or too small.

I was able to shop for the gifts without breaking the bank and literally all in one night (Black Friday with my sis-in-law!).

They will each get stocking stuffers and one small gift from Santa and that is IT.

The tree is still pretty.
The farmhouse is still cozy.
The magic of the season is all around us.

With four gifts each.

I can't wait to see their faces on Christmas morning.  

Happy December from the farmhouse, friends.

❤️🏡❤️
0 Comments

room reveal: the claire bear's room

12/14/2018

1 Comment

 
From the moment I stepped into the one and only bedroom upstairs in the farmhouse, I knew it was meant to be the Claire Bear's.  

It had a beautiful eastern view, where the sun would rise every morning for my sweet early-bird.

It had two closet doors with a long closet that met in the middle...a "secret-passageway" as she says.

And it had a little hatch that went into some attic storage that  really made the oldest daughter nervous.  "Who knows what might come out of there?" Harlee said that first day.
Picture
Picture
When we saw the listing for the house online, this was the picture of the upstairs bedroom...we now could call this the "before" picture.  You can see the two closet doors on the left, the big windows facing the east, and the little hatch to the attic down on the bottom right of the photo.

We had originally talked about taking down the paneling upstairs and putting up sheetrock, but it seemed like kind of an unnecessary expense when the paneling was in good condition and when paint is an inexpensive option to brighten up a room. 

You might remember the playroom transformation that I shared earlier this year.  We used the same paint (Valspar's Warm Oatmeal) in all four upstairs areas (the playroom, each of the older girls' bedroom areas, and the new bathroom).
Picture
Picture
Picture
After the room was painted, we started to fit Claire's furniture in. 

She knew she wanted BOTH closet doors accessible, so that left ONE place for her bed.

My mom had found an antique bedroom set at an auction that had "Claire" written all over it.  There was a full bed and matching vanity.  We fit those pieces in first and went from there.  We covered the "creepy attic hatch" (as Harlee calls it) with her dresser and saved room for her desk by the window.
The picture on the right was the first day she was planning to sleep in her bedroom before we put pictures on the wall or carried in the rest of her furniture.

The other girls were so excited to help her "move in" and then they laid around chatting for a while before bed. This picture is now almost a year and a half old and I remember the memory like it was yesterday.

I remember thinking of this image when I walked upstairs as a vision into their future...

...when they're teenagers, lying around talking about school and (hopefully not too soon) boys...

...when one of them comes back from college and they all snuggle up to hang out on the weekends...

...and when they're all married with kids and their children go to play up in their mamas' rooms.
Picture
Picture
Since those pictures were taken back in July of 2017, we've gotten the windows in the farmhouse replaced and Claire Bear has her dream desk with her dream view.

It's not perfect, but it's all Claire!

I really can't wait to watch my sweet girl grow up in this bedroom.  ❤️🏡❤️
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
1 Comment

morning routine.

12/12/2018

0 Comments

 
One of the things that really helps me to stay on track during the stress of the school year is trying to be productive early on each day.

I'm not a good "sleeper-inner", but there are also mornings that I get up early and do more sitting and wasting time than doing my best work.

Because of this, I've developed a morning routine that is built on habits and not a lot of random time-consuming choices.

My morning routine really starts the night before when we lay clothes out and prepare for the next day (more on that coming in another post).
When I wake up (between 4:45-5:00 usually), the very first thing I do is make our bed (unless Mr. Farmhouse is still sleeping).

It's not always perfect (as you can see in the picture), but it sure feels better climbing in a bed that's somewhat neat every night, instead of straightening it all out to find the sheet before we lie down.

For a long time, I did everything else each morning and either made the bed before we walked out the door or didn't make the bed at all.  
Picture
However, in August of this year, I decided to make my bed every single morning and build the habit.  It stuck.  I don't even think about it anymore and when I leave my bedroom, I've already got a little bit of productivity under my belt.

I used to shower and get dressed & ready for the day right after that, but I have realized that in the wintertime especially, I love drinking my coffee and doing my morning Bible reading and prayer time in my warm and cozy jammies.  I just have to be sure to set a timer or I would sit there all day!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
I have found that taking a nice chunk of time each morning for my coffee, Bible study, prayer time, and running through my day BEFORE THE GIRLS GET UP really starts my day off on the right foot.

I am usually going through a few Bible studies at the same time on my YouVersion Bible app.  You can see the ones I was working on this morning in the images below.
Picture
Picture
If you didn't get to check out my post on the Bible app a while back, feel free to check it out here.

I love the fact that my entire Bible study is at my fingertips from my phone and I love the fact that I can connect with the girls over Scripture.

If you check out the screenshot to the left, the girls and I are going through a study called "Indescribable" right now. 

We read the study, read the Scripture that goes with it, and discuss our new understandings and challenges that come along with the information.

After I've done my Bible study, I stop for some formal prayer time.  I either journal or talk out loud with Jesus.  I read prayers out loud sometimes about specific things or I type my prayers out, as if I were writing a letter to God.  At times, I go back and read my prayers and thank God for all He has done for us to see us through difficult times or bring clarity when we are feeling unsure.

I pray for our girls, for our parents, for my students and colleagues.  I pray for our nation, for our President, and that our lives would be a reflection of the love of Jesus.  And then...my timer goes off.
I have found that I HAVE to set a timer during the morning to keep myself on track or I will get carried away reading or during my prayer time and before I know it...I have forgotten to get the girls up and we are running late.

​So by 5:45, I like to have the girls up and going before I jump in the shower.  I get dressed, fix my hair, and occasionally whip up some eggs.  A lot of the time I don't even eat breakfast...fancy people call it "intermittent fasting" and I call it "I'm just not hungry yet."

My girls always grab something to eat...they are breakfast people.

We are...er, really try to be, out the door by 6:30.

Once the girls are up and running, I know that my day won't be quiet again until they all climb into bed that night. 

This is why that morning time in the peace and quiet of the farmhouse seems so valuable to me.

I'm working hard to be centered and intentional with my time and getting up early is just another piece of that puzzle for me.

My morning routine helps me to be the best version of myself, for Mr. Farmhouse, my girls,  the rest of my family, my staff, and my students.

Trying to "rise & shine" from the farmhouse,
Hannah

❤️🏡❤️
0 Comments
Forward>>
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    June 2023
    July 2022
    June 2022
    October 2021
    July 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    June 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017

    Picture
    Picture
    Shop Hannah's Amazon Wish List

    Categories

    All
    12-week
    12 Week Challenge
    12-Week Challenge
    12 Week Year
    12-week-year
    2018
    2019
    2020
    2021
    2022
    2023
    30 Book Challenge
    40th
    52 Weeks
    5K
    75 Medium
    About Me
    ACC
    AirBNB
    Allergies
    Amazon
    Annual Planning
    Anxiety
    Apart
    Assessment
    Author
    Automatic
    Autumn
    Babysteps
    Back To School
    Balance
    Bedroom Decor
    Before And After
    Bible
    Bible School
    Bible Study
    Biggest Loser
    Birthday
    Birthdays
    Blessings
    Blogging
    Blues
    Book
    Books
    Bucket List
    Budgeting
    Building
    Busy
    Calendar
    Camo
    Career
    Car Purchase
    Celebrations
    Cell Phone
    Challenge
    Challenges
    Change Of Plans
    Changes
    Children
    Children's Bedroom
    Children's Organization
    Chores
    Chores With Kids
    Christmas
    Christmas Cards
    Christmas Countdown
    Christmas Tree
    Church
    Church Camp
    Church Ladies
    Cleaning
    Cleaning House
    Clearance
    Clothes
    Clutter
    Coffee
    Commitment
    Contentment
    Control
    Cooking
    Countdown
    Country
    Country Living
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    Cows
    Creativity
    Crocs
    Crying
    Daily Routines
    Dave Car
    Dave Ramsey
    Debt
    Debt Snowball
    Decision-Making
    Declutter
    Decor
    Decorating
    Decorations
    Dedication
    Delta Airlines
    Depression
    Devotion
    Difference-Maker
    Digital
    Disagreements
    Diy
    Dreams
    Duke
    Ebook
    Education
    Emotions
    End Of The School Year
    Every Dollar
    Exercise
    Faith
    Family
    Family Dinners
    Family Meeting
    Family Trip
    Farm
    Farmhouse
    Farmhouse654
    Farmhouse Decor
    Farmhouse Front Porch
    Farmhouse-kitchen
    Farmhouse-office
    Farmhouse Organization
    Farmhouse-playroom
    Farmhousestyle
    Farmhouse-style
    Farmhouse Table
    Farm Life
    Finances
    Fine
    Finish
    Flooding
    Food-freedom
    Four-Week Plan
    Friendship
    Frustration
    Funny
    Furniture
    Gallery-wall
    Giftgiving
    Gifts
    Goals
    Goal Setting
    Goal-Setting
    Good-enough
    Google
    Grandparent
    Grandparents
    Grateful
    Gratitude
    Gretchen Rubin
    Grief
    Growing Up
    Growth
    Habits
    Happier
    Harlee
    Health
    Healthy
    Heaven
    History
    Holidays
    Home
    Home Decor
    Home Improvement
    Home Management
    Home-management
    Home Manager
    Home Organization
    Home-renovation
    Home-studio
    Hospitality
    House
    House-purchase
    Humor
    Ideas
    Impulse-purchases
    Influence
    Inspire
    Insurance
    Intentional
    Interior Design
    Journal
    Journaling
    Journey
    Keto
    Kids
    Kindness
    Kingdom Kids
    Kitchen
    Konmari
    Last 56 Days
    Laundry
    Leadership
    Legacy
    Life
    Loss
    Love
    Love Languages
    Marriage
    Meal Planning
    Meals
    Memories
    Mentor
    Merch
    Merchandise
    Midwest
    Minimalist Lifestyle
    Mizzou
    Money
    Mood Elevator
    Morning
    Morning Routine
    Mornings
    Motherhood
    Moving
    Mug
    Music
    Newkirk Photography
    New Year
    New Years Resolutions
    Nutrition
    Office
    On A Budget
    One Line A Day
    One Word
    Online Shopping
    Opinions
    Organization
    Organizing
    Outdoors
    Overwhelmed
    Paint
    Parenting
    Past
    Patience
    Photography
    Physical Wellness
    Planning
    Playroom
    Porch Swing
    Positive Attitude
    Prayer
    Preparation
    Printable Book
    Printables
    Projects
    Published
    Publishing
    Quarantine
    Quiet Time
    Quilting
    Raising Kids
    Ramsey
    Reading List
    Real Estate
    Refinance
    Relax
    Relaxation
    Reminders
    Reset
    Resolutions
    Rest
    Resting State
    Road Trip
    Role Model
    Room Reveal
    Routine
    Routines
    Running
    Savings
    School
    School Administration
    School Year
    Season
    Seasonal
    Seasons
    Self-control
    Senior Pictures
    Shoes
    Shop Local
    Sick
    Simple Living
    Simplicity
    Simplify
    Sisters
    Small Business
    Snow
    Snow Day
    Special Education
    Special Education Director
    Spiritual Growth
    Spring
    Start
    Stop Day
    Storage
    Stress
    Struggle
    Struggles
    Student Engagement
    Summer
    Supper Swap
    Survival Mode
    Target
    Task Cards
    Tasks
    Teaching
    Technology
    Tee
    Teenager
    Thankful
    Thanksgiving
    Third Grade
    Thunderstorms
    To Do
    To Do List
    Together
    Tradition
    Traditions
    Transformation
    Transitions
    Travel
    Trip
    Truth
    T-shirt
    Tshirts
    Twelve Weeks
    Vacation
    Valentine's Day
    Vision
    Vision Board
    Walmart
    Water
    Weather
    Wedding
    Wedding Photography
    Weekend
    Weekly Goals
    Weekly Home Blessing
    Weekly Plan
    Weight
    Wellness
    Whole30
    Window Shopping
    Winter
    Word Of The Year
    Work
    Workout
    Workspace
    Writer
    Writing
    Zones
    Zone Work

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Podcast
  • Contact
  • Freebies
  • Disclosures
  • Shop 654 General Store