The Beginning
Here is how we as a family are going after our dreams. Way back when, some twenty-five (ouch that hurt) years ago when I was a senior in high school, I met my husband, Eric. A few years later we got married and our crazy adventures together began.
Let me back up when Eric was sixteen years old, his parents helped him buy a small lawn and landscape maintenance business. Over several years, he grew this business into a decent income that allowed him to save enough money to buy a small property. He built a sweet little ranch house that would later become our first home.
I realized from the start that I had married a major entrepreneur! He has a knack for business and the courage to take risks. Sometimes those risks pay off and other times…not so much, but that, I quickly learned is the risk of going for your dreams.
Our Family
Five years after we married, our first son, Alex, was born then came Owen and Evan. I just have to say we love being parents to these guys. Our lives quickly filled with superhero outfits, soccer balls, lightsabers, and a whole lot of joy.
As young parents, we contemplated very seriously how we wanted to raise our children and what type of environment we wanted surrounding them. We decided our kids should have wide open spaces mixed with family and friends, so we did what any other dreamers would do, we thought outside the box. We got together with three other families (my husband’s two siblings and their spouses, as well as, Eric’s cousin and her husband) and bought 90 acres of farmland. As individual families we were not able to purchase a large amount of land on our own, so we decided to combine our financial resources and purchase the land together. We built houses, a barn, and a pond, and watched our kids grow and play.
I feel the need to clarify something here, this was not a commune. I inevitably get asked some strange questions when I talk about purchasing a property with other people. We share the property mortgage that is all. Each family has its own home and each family attends a separate church. We live individual lives. Truth is we all simply held to the idea that we wanted fresh air and lots of roaming space for our kids and our dream was bigger than our individual wallets.
Life on The Farm
Over the last fifteen years since moving here, we have been happy to share our space with others. We have hosted church picnics, youth events, soccer tournaments, volleyball tournaments, family reunions, art shows, and even a concert or two. Crazy, right! Family and friends have joined us in so many outdoor activities like swimming, fishing, sledding, ice skating, bonfires, cookouts, sleep-outs, and hayrides. We also have had lots of space for animals too, there have been cows, pigs, chickens, horses, goats, guinea pigs, cats, and dogs (not all at once, thank goodness). Oh, and you can add Alex’s turtle and a hamster in there somewhere.
Let me tell you, our kids to this day thank us for providing this space for them. Our two oldest boys are now in college and I can’t believe how fast the time has gone! I am so grateful for all the awesome memories we have made here.
Chasing the Dream
Somewhere, during those years of our kids growing up, Eric and I traded our personal goals and dreams for stability and security. Shortly after we had married, Eric decided (a little later than most) to go to college and get his BA in accounting and start his own accounting business. While we were busy raising our kiddos, he built his business and hired several people to work for him. While he was always creating and collaborating on new business ideas, he was feeling drained and exhausted. It can be hard for a dreamer to sit behind a desk. In 2015, we decided it was time for a change.
Our Latest Endeavor
One of Eric’s dreams, reaching all the way back to his sixteen-year-old entrepreneur self, was the idea of a sports complex. So, after much deliberation and trepidation, Eric dissolved his accounting business and chose to go for it. We shared his big idea with our parents and other family members and I am blown away at how they supported us. They all jumped on board.
Together we found and bought a property, a small 7-acre farm, that in its past glory had been a horse farm. The property included a huge farmhouse (read about the renovation HERE), a big red barn, and a separate indoor riding ring. With a LOT of hard work, the riding ring was transformed into an indoor soccer field.
Over the past twenty years, one thing I have found about living your dreams is that you are guaranteed it will be exhausting work but when you get to step back and see it coming into focus…MAJOR YAY MOMENT!
Encouraging Others
Over the years, some of my dreams have become reality and many are yet to come but I make it a point to write them down, to keep them in front of me, and work toward them every day.
By education, I have a bachelor’s degree in nursing. I have seen way too much brokenness and illness. Life is short and we can be hit with the unexpected at any moment. So, I strive to choose a healthy active lifestyle, to do my best to live without regret, and to have the courage to go after the things God has placed in my heart.
I love talking to other creative people and learning about their heart’s desires. I love discovering all the ways people create new concepts, businesses, or works of art. I want to share our story and the stories of the wonderful people I have met that are going after their dreams and putting in the time and hard work to see their dreams come true.
May this blog encourage you to step out and go after your dreams!
