The last 4 years of farming and homesteading have been the best years of our life as a growing family. We have learned so much about God’s gorgeous creation; how to milk cows and goats, how to butcher our own animals, how to sheer sheep, how to harvest honey, and we’ve harvested the bounty of our hard work.
But we do believe there is a new adventure in our future. My husband and I know, all too well, how short, delicate and precious life is. We’ve loved and lost quite a few family members and friends over the 10 years that we have been married.
Our oldest child turns 9 this next year and in January we realized how she is already half way through her childhood with us. It brought me tears to think that my investment into her life at the most crucial moments, is almost halfway over.
Since January we have felt a tugging on our heart. We didn’t know what it was at first, but the next step has become clear to us.
I knew God wanted me to go back to homeschooling for so many reasons, but mostly because I want to be with my kids and I miss them when they are away from me! I, also, knew I needed more freedom in our schedule and going back to homeschooling made sense for me. So, after months of praying about it, weighing pros and cons, I decided to homeschool again. However, this time I promised to be more flexible in our schedules and not follow a stringent curriculum. In fact, this time, we won’t be using any curriculum. More on that in a bit!
This weekend was another big leap of faith. I, purposely, am over simplifying it because it was hard. I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t want anyone else’s opinions to jar mine. My husband and I just did what we were supposed to do. We sold most of our livestock and animals, including our precious Livestock Guardian dogs, Esme and Everest, some of our pigs, half of our chickens, all our ducks, most of our 17 turkeys, and most of our rabbits. We started the purging process so we can take the big jump into our next dream.
I felt peace letting them go, knowing they did what they were meant to do: they taught me patience. They helped shape my children into the farm kids that they are: independent, confident, and sustainable little human beings.
We are 100% confident of our next step. We don’t see the one after that step but we know that we want to dedicate one whole year (or more) to traveling and seeing America and the world!
We are buying an RV and starting our tour of America in Dec/Jan!!!! We want to show our children the world, world-school them (letting the world be our curriculum), and grow our doTERRA team. We have some International trips in mind, as well, and we feel what better time than the beautiful gift of the present.
We love our animals and they have become our family so this process has been difficult but the assurance of knowing you are in Gods plan makes things a little more easy. So we trust and we move on and we believe and we hope for a bright and beautiful year together as a full-time family.
Our farm isn’t going anywhere right now…just the animals. They deserve loving homes that will care and appreciate them. Plus we need a home base for when the road gets rough!
What better time to go for the next dream then right now?! We don’t believe in just being complacent or satisfied with our life. We want complete joy and adventure and have the chance to create a life we absolutely love!
So….the adventure awaits and we move forward. The next 6 months will be a time of purging, preparing, planning and then going! We are giddy excited for this next season. We will always be farmers, but now we get to plant seeds of hope, adventure, and education in our children and in the thousands of people in our doTERRA tribe.
Peace, love and WANDERLUST!
Jackie
Wow! What an adventure. I’m sure you’ll keep us all updated with pics on Instagram…
Hey Jackie, you are such a special person. It’s so great that you guys reap the rewards of hard work. And, I wouldn’t worry too much about your child turning 9 years old. I thought the same thing and the truth is they will always need you in their life. You will always be a part of their brand identity as individuals. And, every so often, they will need help remembering who they are. I’m sure this upcoming journey will continue to define them in new ways too.
Thank you so much Dennis!