It was 11 years ago this weekend when I met my husband. He was and is a Godsend. Saving you the details of my life...let's just say after many intense nights of praying to God and to my dad who had passed on...my prayers were answered when I needed divine intervention most. I pleaded with my dad that if ever I needed his help, it was now. I had a great job, a loving family...yet I was "lost" and needed someone who would really understand me. I dated, but I needed a soul mate. On the first night we met, and talked for hours...I found out that my hubbys' deceased father and my father worked together. His dad was my dads' supervisor. The rest of the story leads me to this point. After alot of hard work, our dreams came true. The rockers on the porch were my grandma and grandpa's. I'm sure grandma looks down from heaven and smiles each time she sees me rocking away. I remember her singing lullaby's to my firstborn in that very rocker on the right, the same one that I will be using to sing to my newly born (Oct. 1st) grandchild.
Why did I post a photo of a stone path? I wanted to move here to the woods so much, that I convinced my husband that we could survive without running water for about a year as we continued to build.Every few days he would bring MANY jugs of water from our home up north, which my adult daughter lived in, or from my mothers' home. He drove up there everyday for work and back home ....a 1-1/2 hour trip each way! The summer we moved in there was hardly no rain, and our soil is hard clay. I wanted a natural rock path, so the few days it rained, I was out there frantically placing as many rocks as I could before the clay dried and hardened. This path is about is about 80 feet long...it took all spring, summer and fall(and help from mom) to finish. The rocks now are somewhat out of place, to due to very nature of the clay when it's wet...my hubby wants to replace it, he won't because he knows that I love it, as is, with all its' imperfections. I really put my heart into that simple path, and so did my mom. She has done alot of work out of love helping us! Our dream has been a family affair...even though now they don't come out as often because of other obligations.
The tire swing was one of the first things that we put up, and that was for the enjoyment of our grandchildren as us adults labored away. Of course, even the adults had a few wild rides on that swing!
Our porch is 12 feet by 36 feet long, funds were being stretched daily as we built our cabin. We tossed around in our heads, the size of perhaps a smaller porch to save money, but we figured that a covered porch this size where all the family could gather even if it rained would be well worth the expense. And it was, besides it being able to accomodate quite a few people, this is where we did alot of the sawing, sanding and varnishing when the weather didn't cooperate! Yes, I am the sanding and varnishing queen in these parts...hundreds of different woods of varying lengths and widths passed under my hands. Not to mention carrying 8, 10,12 and 16 foot long pieces overhead, one after another for days (actually a few years). It was worth the all the hard work... all the blood, sweat and tears. When I reflect back on it all, I just have to smile. All because two people met and fell in love...with a little help from above.
22 comments:
This is such a sweet story - i enjoyed every second of it!
Katarina
Katarina...Thank you for visiting and the comments. I'm very lucky to have met someone like my husband and live out this dream.
What a beautiful story of love and sacrifice on both your parts. Now you have something tangible that will always remind you of the hard work you & your family put into it.
You are living the kind of life that I would like to live some day. Nice personal story-it sounds like you and your husband are fortunate to have met each other.
Raquel...Thank you...my fear is having to move some day in the future here, but I'll have the memories.
Larry...Hello, thanks for the visit and comments. I just visited your blog...great photos and I enjoyed your story.
A beautiful story, and an amazing task. I love that path, like crazy paving but full of life. Perhaps our choices of paths is mirroring something of ourselves. I have an outlined path, or rather a system of paths for my garden (and it's a little on the wild side too :-) – but nothing is built yet! Your story, and your path, is truly inspiring.
What a magical, inspiring story! Your home has been built with such love. I'm sure it's a blessed place. I'd say you're both lucky to have found each other.
Thanks so much for sharing this, and for your encouraging words at Havenwood. I've given you a Friendship Award there, in appreciation.
Camellia...Thank you..I guess my path does fit me! I'm a little out of whack, and a pretty basic person...but you never know what to expect wtih me!
Hello Vicki..yes, our Wishnik Woods homestead was indeed built with love, it is our dream come true.
Thank you very much for the friendship award...I'll post a proper thank you soon! That meant alot to me!
Is your country All Souls' Day (Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum, Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed) now?
The stone path which you made is more wonderful than Via Appia of Rome.
Postscript
I have forgotten upload after having written down a sentence, yesterday.
Kim, what a lovely, lovely story! It was like sitting next to you on that porch and hearing you as we rocked on those rocking chairs. I loved hearing all your lovely memories. I'm sure each stone on that path has so many stories attached to them!
Hello Pseudothemis...I had to google All Souls' Day, as I don't observe that day. Yes, it is now, from what I understand it has transferred from Sunday to today this year(as Nov.2 fell on Sunday).
The path and all the hundreds of other rocks that we have used here, were all dug from different areas of the woods. When we'd find a pocket of rocks, you'd think I found gold!
Sunita...Thank you, each of those rocks do have a story! We found all of our rocks in various places under different circumtances. I love rocks...they tend to add a homey, comfortable feel to me. We used rocks from our woods to build a fireplace in the cabin as well.
I'm most touched by your beautifully written, loving story, Kim. Thanks for reminding us that prayers are often answered and dreams do come true! In memory of the huge swing felled with the diseased elm when our children were growing, we again hung a stunning rope swing from a huge old oak at the lake (a favorite of mine and my grandboys).
Good evening.
I often visited the ruins of the ancestral castle since I was young. There were a stone pavement and the castle wall of a high stone there.
I collected a book about a mason after having grown up.
The path of native rock is good. There is a thing to be charmed by.
Hello Joey, Thank you! There is something special about a rope swing isn't there?!
Hello Pseudothemis...I agree with you...the rock that we uncovered from our own woods, gave the path more character snd charm! Visiting ancestral castle ruins must have been very special.
What a beautiful love story Kim. You and your husband have built a lovely home. The path is great too. It must be so cool to live in a place you've built yourselves with such love. How wonderful to have such fond memories, and stories to tell your grandchildren.
Hello Linda...Thanks for the visit and comments. My grandchildren will remember, becuase my first two did some "helping" along the way! Lots of memories around the campfires, too.
What a lovely story. I love your pictures. What a treasure to still have your grandparents rocking chairs. Congratulations on your new grandbaby!
Peek-A-Boo...Thanks for the visit and comments. I have a few items of my grandma and grandpas' around the cabin, even an item of my great-grandma..they all have special meaning to me.
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