When we first announced to the world (okay, our little world) that we were buying the farmhouse, I posted a picture and a friend of ours tagged Stephanie in it.

She said, "This house looks just like the house I grew up in!"

And at that moment...the story began unfolding.

She and I have been corresponding since we made contact that day about everything from the wells on the property to the way you have to put your hip into the interior doors to get them to close just right.

It has been a joy to have conversation with Stephanie about the home we have come to love and call our own and to get to know her sweet mama through our talks!

We have been saying for the last several months that the next time she was in Adrian, she would have to come visit and this weekend we were able to make that happen!

Stephanie, her brother Keith, and Keith's wife Tracy came out to see the farmhouse this afternoon.

They brought the aerial image you see above of the farm in the 1970's.

Our girls have been looking forward to meeting Stephanie ever since I told them about her several months ago.

Today, it happened.

She and Keith walked them through the house and gave them a tour, sharing details of what the house was like in year's past.

Mattie showed them her bedroom and closet (and offered to show them again at least four or five times).  The wallpaper that Stephanie picked out as a young girl is still in the closet!

Claire shared the transformation to her girly bedroom from the one that was Keith's bedroom in high school.

Harlee's bedroom wasn't even a room back then...but instead a loft area that overlooked the stairwell.  She enjoyed showing off her basketball room and reminding Mr. Farmhouse once again that he still hasn't built her a wall.

What a beautiful snowy day to introduce the girls to the adults who grew up here.

Thanks for coming out, Highley family.

​❤️🏡❤️

2017 was a wonderful year in so many ways.

But if I'm being honest, it was also a hard year.

In 2017, my mom lost both of her parents.
​
Of course, this would be a difficult situation for anybody...losing both parents in one year.

But it was especially difficult for us.

A strained family relationship can make loss seem so much greater.

Mom wasn't only grieving for the loss of her parents, but for the absence of a normal functioning family. 

Grieving the loss of the chance at reconciliation and healing.

Someday I will tell her story in it's entirety.  

But not today.

Today, I want to recognize some of the difference-makers in her life.

Mom can remember going to Vacation Bible School at a very young age with her Aunt Peggy's mother, Mrs. McIntire. 

Mrs. McIntire always made Mom feel like she was thrilled to have her there.  Mom still thinks of her when she smells koolaid...all these years later.

Mrs. McIntire was difference-maker.
​
When Mom was about five, she remembers starting to go with her grandma to her adult Sunday school group. 

They met at each others' houses.

Mom has fond memories of spending time with her grandma's friends...serving punch and cake and just visiting with them.

These women were difference-makers.

Mom went to church every week as a child with her Grandma Hannah (great name, huh?).

When she was in second grade, she remembers wanting a Bible with her name on it for Christmas.

She got this gift and remembers reading it every night, loving every minute.

Grandma Hannah was a difference-maker.

When Mom's family moved to Adrian her seventh grade year, the Johnson family took her to church every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday night. 

It was during this time that she went on a "Youth for Christ" hayride and committed her life to Christ.

Hal & Fern Johnson were difference-makers.

Throughout Mom's middle school and high school years, her friends' mothers became wonderful mentors to her.

These women helped her get through school.

They taught her about honesty and hard work.

They taught her character traits and Christian principles that continue to serve her well, over thirty years later.

Fern Johnson, Darlene Greenwell, Lila Gunn, Jeanie Brewster, Thelma Six, and countless others were difference-makers.

Mom got married in 1980 to my dear ol' dad.

Dad has supported Mom through many insecurities that came from a difficult past.

Together, they have raised two amazing children, if I do say so myself...ha...just kidding. 

Because of the difference-makers in Mom's life, she has an amazing story of grace and generosity and love for others.

She and Dad have adopted another daughter and provided for countless other foster children throughout our lives.

She has a heart for children who have been mistreated.

She has served in the Church for in every way imaginable...for all age groups and many ministries.

She sees a need and meets it.

My mom is a difference-maker.

Despite a painful childhood, filled with neglect and abuse...she is a difference-maker.

Despite anxiety and insecurity that comes from her past...she is a difference-maker.

Despite the odds being seemingly stacked against her...she is a difference-maker.

THAT is the power in kindness and compassion.

THAT is the power in really seeing people.

THAT is the power in serving others.

THAT is the power found in the grace of Jesus Christ.

We CAN make a difference, friends.

❤️🏡❤️

December 31, 2017 marked the ending of an era in our little town.

My grandma played her final song as the church organist.

She has played the organ at Adrian Christian Church for my whole life.

In fact, the first wedding she played for was for her cousin Ed & his wife, Darlene.  They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this year.

My parents reminded me that when my brother and I were preschool age, we would sometimes go sit at the funeral home on the couch in the piano room while Grandma played for a service.

We must have been pretty good kids, because I cannot imagine having my sweet three-year-old Mattie-girl sitting in the piano room during a funeral!  

I can remember Grandma practicing her hymns on the piano in their dining room and the organ that set in their bedroom.

I can remember sitting on the front row on the organ side while Grandma played for the church service every single Sunday for years and years.

Actually...that's still where we sit.  

And from now on...she will sit there too.

Surrounded by her children,
by her grandchildren,
and her great-grandchildren.  

Surrounded by some of her dearest friends from Sunday school class for the last five decades, or more.

Surrounded by church family...young and not-so-young, new friends and old friends, meeting every week to worship the One who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

If you have any memories to share of Grandma's organ playing years, we would love to compile them for her. 

If she played for your wedding, for a funeral of a dear loved one, for your Sunday school class, to accompany you for some sort of special music...please share these stories so we can share them with her.

​❤️⛪️??❤️

Something has happened to me since I delivered our third daughter three years ago.

I get a bit emotional.

I cry when I'm happy...
When I'm sad...
When I'm angry...
When I don't sleep enough...
When I sleep too much...
When I see an old man in overalls.

I cry when one of my daughters says something sweet to her sister...

When a student masters a concept he or she has been struggling with...

When a first-year player on one of the girls' sports teams makes a basket in a basketball game or gets the ball over the net in volleyball...

When one of the girls shows understanding of the blessing that their great-grandparents are...

I cry.

Usually, this consists of a lump in my throat and my eyes filled with tears with just a few escaping down my cheek.

But not always.

Sometimes, my little "choked-up, tear-running-down-my-face" crying turns into a big ol' ugly-cry.

Anyone else?

I can specifically remember a day when our second daughter was just under a year old.

She hadn't been sleeping well and I was having "one of those days".

You know what I'm talking about...right, moms?

One of those days where I was barely holding it together through the school day. 

I hadn't slept a full night in several weeks, my students were enjoying the last week before spring break as if it were already spring break, and I felt like I was living in a fog with a toddler and an infant.

My teaching partner casually made a comment in the teacher's lounge full of our colleagues giving me a hard time about the fact that I had mentioned taking a nap before I went home after school.

He meant NOTHING by his comment.

On a normal day, I would have just laughed.

But bless his poor heart...this wasn't a normal day...

I laughed at first and said, "I know..." and then the tears started coming, "...isn't it ridiculous?"

All the other women in the room immediately started trying to make me feel better and my poor teaching partner apologized.

But it wasn't his comment at all.  He felt bad that he was the one that tipped the emotions from laughter to tears.  But at some point or another, we've all been there.

I think sometimes you just need a good cry.

There is something about it that's cleansing to the soul and spirit.

In fact, that afternoon, after my ugly-cry, I was already laughing about the whole situation.

One morning, shortly after my grandpa had passed away, I walked into Casey's to find all of his coffee-drinking buddies there.  

I said my "hellos" and went about my business. 

As I walked out the door, an older man I didn't know met me there...in his Key overalls...just like Grandpa's.

And as I walked to my car (and all the way to work), I ugly-cried.

Sometimes, it's just necessary.

So this is your permission.

If you need to ugly-cry...just let it out.

Whether it's because of grief,
stress,
excitement,
anger,
or pure joy.

Just let it out.

An ugly-cry every once in a while can be a beautiful thing.

And if you're still a bit unsure of letting the waterworks loose, I'm not just an ugly-crier...I'm a contagious-crier, too.

So if you need an ugly-cry partner...I'm your girl.

❤️🏡❤️

Hello! Welcome back to the Farmhouse654 Christmas Countdown Challenge!

We are getting ready to start week 3, but before I go there with you, I want to be real with you.

I didn't get my kitchen done this week! I got the mudroom finished and the kitchen was on my zone list for this week, too.

I've been catching up on some photography sessions and editing pictures.

I stayed late at school almost every single day this last week and last night, instead of working on the kitchen...I watched a movie with my 10-year-old, Harlee-girl, and one of her besties.

It is what it is.

This is why the countdown concept works for me.

I have now completed my Week 1 challenge of the Living Room and Entry-way.

I have completed half of my Week 2 challenge of the Kitchen and Mudroom.

And I'm (almost) ready to move on to my Week 3 challenge of the Dining Room and my Office.

Instead of just focusing on those two rooms though, I'll move the Kitchen over on my calendar and get them all knocked out this week!

I don't feel like I'm so overwhelmed by not completing half of the kitchen task to just stop and give up.

Instead, I move the few parts of the kitchen over to this week and work hard to finish all three rooms before Week 4.

This week, outside of our Zone work, we are focusing on our vision for the holidays.

I really feel like it's important to set a goal and make a plan to get there.

Set a goal and make a plan.

I use this phrase in my classroom.
I use it in my budgeting.
I use it when talking to my girls about all areas of life.

So today, we're setting a goal for our holiday season.

What do we want our holidays to look like? To feel like? To smell like?

What do we want our kids...our friends...our families to remember about this special time of year?

What can we start doing over the next few weeks to make these dreams a reality?

Make sure to print out our Week 3 Planning Pages to help keep you on track!

I'm so grateful that we are on this journey together. I love sharing life with all of you!

Happy November from the Farmhouse!

​❤️🏡❤️

If you're just catching up with the Farmhouse654 Christmas Countdown, feel free to join the Facebook group HERE and print out the Planning Calendar and Week 1 Checklist HERE. ​

Christmas Countdown Blog Posts
Week 1
Week 2

We've all gone through one, right?

A rough patch?

I remember getting lots of advice in the beginning of our marriage.

"Don't ever go to bed mad..."
"Keep an open line of communication..."
"Put your spouse's needs before yourself..."
"Keep going on dates, even after you have kids..."
"Take time to do the things you love on your own, so you don't lose 'who you are'..."
"Talk about all things money..."

But what about those times where you've been trying to do those things?
When you've had conversation after conversation, trying to feel better about life?
Those times in life where you just feel like you don't even have it in you to fight anymore?

Trust me.  

We've been there.

We have had moments in our marriage where we felt like we didn't even know each other.

I pray that we never get to that place again, but I know it's likely that we'll struggle through certain seasons of life.

And even when we aren't in a "rough patch", there's almost always a time that somebody we know is feeling the strain of keeping a relationship alive.  

This subject is one that I feel like God has put on my heart lately, so just in case you're going through "a rough patch"...in life in general or specifically in marriage...I thought I would share with you a few of the things I've learned about getting through these times.

​1. Serving each other is always a good option.

There are days that I am cranky or Mr. Farmhouse is cranky and I truly don't even want to talk to him. 

I just want to slide through the day and do my own thing. 

I have found that with one day of no interaction, two days with no interaction becomes easier. 

Then three. 

And four.

Anybody else ever feel this way? 

Like you're two people living in the same house who hardly know each other?

I have found that when we get to this point (during harvest time, for example!), the best thing I can possibly do is to ask myself what I could do to serve Mr. Farmhouse.

What could I do to make his day easier?

Some days, it's as simple as finding him a pair of socks in the morning.

Other times, it's making one of his favorite meals even when I don't feel like it.

It becomes easier and easier to serve each other when you take that first step.

2. Choose to love.

Sometimes Mr. Farmhouse and I don't like each other much.

I get frustrated with him and I'm sure I annoy him.

But even when it's hard to like each other, we have committed to loving each other.

Circumstances can affect our attitude, our words, and even our actions...but we cannot let circumstances affect our choice to love one another.

3. Look back.

In the day-to-day junk of life, I feel like some days it's hard to look back.

It's hard to remember what life was like back when we were dating.

Back when we first got married.

Back when we were eating Hamburger Helper every night and Always Save ice cream for a fancy dessert.

Before the stress of money and parenting and careers took over.

We must look back.

Go back to those things that made you fall in love with your spouse.

Look at pictures.  Reminisce.  Tell stories of your favorite memories of days past.

We have to look back.

4. Find a healthy couple, a dear friend, or a therapist to walk through this season with.

I do not know what I would do in life without "my people".

There have been many times that I have had good friends who said the hard things to me.  

Friends who had to be a voice of reason for me when I was being irrational.

Friends to pray for me. 

To pray with me.

To help us fight through the hard days.

And I'd like to think that I have been that person for someone, too.

5. Take it one day at a time.

Marriages, friendships, and any relationships do not become strained in one day.

It can take weeks, months, and sometimes years to rebuild what has fallen apart.

Make a plan to serve each other.

To love each other.

To recommit to each other.

To do the best you can every day.

To be the best you can every day.

To put one foot in front of the other and to take it one day at a time.

❤️🏡❤️

In another way, this year IS different.

This will be our first holiday season in the farmhouse.

Finding a new place for the holiday decorations.

Hosting dinners since we have more room in this house.

A new way of purchasing gifts for the girls this year for Christmas (more on that later).  

I always like to divide up my holiday planning and kind of challenge myself to complete certain aspects of it each week...and I thought it might be fun for my online friends to join me.

If you'd like to join me, just join my Facebook group here.

We'll be starting some weekly & daily challenges on Sunday, October 22nd!

​See you there!  ❤️🏡❤️

Does anyone else find it difficult to just stop?

Sometimes it's nice to just sit and do nothing. 

But if I'm being honest, it's easier said than done.

My first inclination isn't to come straight home after school and sit down with Mr. Farmhouse and talk about our day.

It isn't to grab my book and head to the porch to read.

It isn't to snuggle up on the couch with one of the girls and watch a movie.

Sadly, my first inclination is usually to mentally run through my "to do" list and decide what all I could accomplish in one evening.

It's to throw in a load of laundry or put dishes away or pick up the floor.

It's to sit at my computer and do lesson plans or enter grades in the grade book.

But what if my first inclination is wrong?

I've been very convicted lately, by a few books I have read, some blog posts I've seen shared, and some Christian mentors sharing with me.

I've been convicted about my priorities.

I don't want my babies to feel like I put my school work or photography business above them.

I don't want Mr. Farmhouse to think that having clean laundry or an empty sink is of more value than the time I could spend with him.

I don't want my family to go through life wondering why I put so many other tasks in front of the task of just being with them.

Now friends...let me just tell you.

This shift in thinking.

This change in words and actions.

It has taken some time.

And I have a long way to go.

But for tonight, I made supper, did about 20 minutes of lesson planning, and sat down in the living room with Mr. Farmhouse and the girls to watch Zootopia for the 587th time.

It. Was. Perfect.

Sometimes it's nice to just stop. ❤️🏡❤️

Labor Day Weekend marks the unofficial beginning of my very favorite season.

For the last few years, it has become a tradition to put out all my fall decorations on Labor Day.

This year was no different.

Wait, yes it was.  

This year was very different.

This year, I spent Labor Day getting the last of the "back to school madness" organized and ready for the bulk of the school year that is upon us.

This year, I was planning to have time to search the garage to find the fall decorations.

And I didn't have time.

So when I went to Dollar General to grab a foil pan for Matthew to put the brisket in that he was making for supper tonight, I spent $10 and bought a few fall items.

I spent yesterday afternoon cleaning house to prepare for the decorating process, but didn't get finished.

Sunday evening, I changed all the Scentsy in my house to fall scents and this morning, I lit my fall candles.  

I drank my coffee in the quiet this morning and prepared for a long day of transforming the farmhouse to a peaceful fall sanctuary.

Mr. Farmhouse was off work too, so he started smoking a brisket early this morning and he and my brother got to work bringing some more of our outside belongings from the old house.

​By 11:30, I realized that all of the fall decorations might not be coming out today.

I had made a huge dent in the laundry, finished up the dishes, and done a quick run-through of the rest of the downstairs.  

I hung some pictures in our bedroom and in the living room that I had been putting off and made some notes about the week coming up.

Yesterday, my bestie and I went out to do some shopping for our classrooms.

She teachers fourth.

I teach third.

We both are heading back to school soon and decided to hit the teacher sale at Mardel.

I believe that I'm heading into the school year that has snuck up on me faster than any year before.

This summer, through the home selling and buying process and the moving situation, we just haven't felt very "settled" in the farmhouse until the last few weeks.

And now that we FINALLY feel like this is home, BOOM...it's time to go back to school.

I meandered around and found some great items for the farmhouse.

My three favorite purchases were a clearance "you & me" sign for the master bedroom, a sign that says "Be Kind...it's that easy.", and a sign for my classroom that said "It's a good day to have a good day."

​I think sometimes we get so wrapped up in our circumstances that we struggle to find the positive side of life.

I see it every day on social media.

There are some people on my Facebook Newsfeed who seem to struggle to find anything good to say about their day...every single day.

My heart is filled with sadness for these people, as they can't find any good in their circumstances.

I also see the opposite side of the spectrum on my Facebook and Instagram feed.

People who are struggling through really big life hurdles...chronic illness, a cancer diagnosis, the loss of a close family member. And yet, their words are encouraging and inspiring and uplifting.

I want my students to know when they walk into our classroom that EVERY day is a good day to have a good day.

Yes, we will have struggles.

A house sale or purchase doesn't go as planned.
The air conditioning goes out in your Yukon.
The car you purchased to save you money is having transmission problems.
Your three-year-old has decided that she doesn't like sleep anymore.

(These are all hypothetical situations, of course.)

But even when life seems to hit, we have a choice in how we deal with it all.

We can smile and persevere.
Or we can frown and complain.

We can show kindness to family, friends, and strangers.
Or we can be cranky and negative.

Let's just try over the next few weeks, no matter what road we are walking on right now in our personal lives...to have a good day.
To find the good in the world.
​To BE the good in the world.

Happy Weekend, friends.

​Make it a good one. ❤️🏡❤️