I remember being a kid in elementary school - probably age 9 - experiencing anxiety each day going to school. I would think through all these worst case scenarios the whole bus ride. It was an hour-long bus ride. We lived in Japan at the time, and the post we lived on was an hour … Continue reading All of This Will Disappear (originally written August 1, 2023)
healing
Beautifully Broken
Years ago, before the farm, before everything in my life fell apart, I had this handpoured, hand painted porcelain teacup that sat on the sill of my kitchen window. My great grandmother was the potter and the painter. I never knew her, but I knew of her. She made her own pottery, painted it, and … Continue reading Beautifully Broken
Rooted and Established
Over the last couple of years, I’ve felt a tugging on my soul to enter a space with greater margins. Now, knowing that we have a farm with more working animals we can count sometimes, you might think I misunderstand the meaning of the word. It’s true. We are a busy farm family. We have … Continue reading Rooted and Established
The In-Between Places
Wanna hear something kind of bonkers? I’m thankful that my dad left. You’re probably reading that and going, “I’m sorry. What? How could you ever be thankful for that?” Don’t get me wrong. I am heartbroken. I grieve the loss of my father. Not the way one would grieve a death, because he is very … Continue reading The In-Between Places
Saying No So I Can Say Yes
Some people may not know this about me, but I am an introvert. Shocking, I know. If you’re surprised by this, it’s probably because I can be seen from the platform at church helping to lead worship, or working with children’s choir, or tutoring an English class, or attending a Bible study, or enthusiastically talking … Continue reading Saying No So I Can Say Yes
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors
Growing up with an abusive, narcissistic parent, I did not learn to draw boundaries. I didn’t even know I was allowed to have them. In our family dynamic, I was the “scapegoat” child. It did not matter how far anyone asked me to bend or break for them, I was expected to mold myself into … Continue reading Good Fences Make Good Neighbors
Fences are an act of love.
And I’ve been thinking a lot about fences lately. Probably because my life seems to revolve around boundaries, both personally and on the farm. And thanks to some goats who refuse to get along and a livestock guardian dog who refuses to stay within her own territory, I’ve been looking back at some spiritual fences … Continue reading Fences are an act of love.
A Little Goat We Called T-Shirt
Last night I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about things and couldn’t quiet my mind. Does that ever happen to you? You just lie there, thinking about all the things you’ve done wrong, the apologies you’ve left unsaid, the moments you could go back to and change so you’d have a different outcome. Wondering why … Continue reading A Little Goat We Called T-Shirt
Broken Coops and Healed Hearts
Christmas 2020 came, and we were able to play host to our entire family just days after we moved in. But despite the joy that the holiday season can bring, getting to that point wasn’t all that blissful. Because we owned two houses for a matter of ten days until we closed on the sale … Continue reading Broken Coops and Healed Hearts
Blessed Roots Farmstead 