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Hello, dear readers!
You may have noticed a significant lack of updates as of late. People who know us are aware of the level of crazy we have reached, and those who have read previous posts know what we dream of doing. So all that being said, here’s what’s going on.
We have OFFICIALLY sold our house. Papers signed, money exchanged. We did a good deal of crying over the fact that we are transferring the home, where we first brought our son and became a family of three, to someone who is essentially a stranger. We have a lot of blood, sweat, and tears inside the walls of our house and have grown attached to it, but we know that there is a greater experience just ahead.
We have MOVED. First of all, a HUGE thanks to those friends and family who helped us move. We could NOT have done it without each and every one of you! We are currently blessed with the opportunity to live with my mom and stepdad close to where I work. I feel like none of our future plans would really work without this immense help from them, so we are truly grateful. I am also thankful that our son has a wonderful relationship with both of them (and of course, the cat, who he talks about constantly…CAT CAT CAT!). It’s fun to watch him toddle around their house and give them big smiles and hugs. His joy knows no bounds.
We will buy LAND. Plans are in the works. Until a purchase is final, I’m not willing to share the particulars of it, but it will happen. This is the next big step towards “changing our family tree”.
We will build a house with our HANDS. I think this is where a lot of people start to think that we are insane, because:
1. Building a house takes a lot of time and hard work. It is rigorous work.
2. Building a house takes skill.
3. Building a house will try our patience with one another.
4. Home building in today’s world is traditionally done by professional builders.
I respect and value the knowledge of professionals. My uncle was one, and helped to build the house I grew up in. But this is not the ONLY way. Yes, there will be things that professionals will do for us (like the septic, for example), but in saying goodbye to our current home, I realized something:
The aspects of the home I am most attached to are the ones that we created with our own hands.
The shower, the kitchen, the foundation epoxy, the painting, the carpet removal, the bathroom floor, the rewiring…
I am not attached to the floors that someone else refinished. I am not attached to the sewer main that someone else installed. I am not attached to the HVAC that someone else replaced. But I AM attached to the bead board in the kitchen that has our initials done up in Liquid Nails on the back.
Though this process has been slightly stressful, we are doing our best to keep our focus on what really matters: God and family. That’s why we’re doing this. We’re not doing this because we DESERVE a nice house. We’re not doing this because we DESERVE to have THINGS. We’re doing this to provide a solid foundation for our son and any future children who may grace our home. We’re doing this to live out our values and our truths. We’re doing this to glorify the the many blessings that God has given us. In all things, we remember this:
For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.
-Hebrews 3:4
It is for this project that we really created the blog in the first place, so as things get cranking along you can expect more construction and project updates. We’re excited to share our progress, triumphs, and even our failures with you.
And in the midst of the homebuilding, you can still expect other accidentally hippyish things too, like cloth diapers, frugal living, and more! Because yes, 18 months in we’re still cloth diapering and even having a little success with some potty training. Life will continue in the midst of our big project and we’re psyched to have you along for the ride!
Don’t forget to leave any questions or comments below, or connect with us on Twitter @accihippies or on Facebook!
I LOVE this idea! There is a certain joy in creating something yourself, whether it be a lasagna, a garden, or even a house. I can’t wait to see what happens next!