Here's what's new with us!

It's been a while! Want to know what we've been up to? Well, you're in luck! I'm going to tell you.

We've been... (drum roll, please) ...building our house!

Can you believe it?? I hardly can. I want to share our progress with you. But, first... I should point out that we are actually building this house - with our own hands. It's not just our house, either. We're helping build ten houses, total. 

We qualified for a housing program set up by the USDA & Rural Housing Development Corporation. Basically, we put in our own sweat equity for over half the work that needs to be done. Each family in the group (ours is made up of ten) puts in a required number of work hours each week. We normally work on Saturdays and evenings during the week.

We're all trained on several different tasks and work together to complete each phase of the building process. Our supervisor is on site almost every day. There are a few tasks we need subcontractors for, like all the concrete work, plumbing, electrical, duct work, and some finish work inside.

It's been so much fun! We all definitely put in a ton of hard work. But, it's safe to say I'll all pay off.

So, let's start from the beginning... August. 

We decided on a house and a lot to build on. Woohoo!

In late August/early September, they broke ground! It was so exciting to drive by and see the progress they'd made.

In early September, we got our footings & foundation poured. It was fun to let Doug run around in the big hole in the ground! He needed to sniff around and check the place out, after all.

Paige, my older sister, has been so awesome to take pictures of us in front of the house periodically. I don't know exactly what I'll do with all of them, but it will be cool to look back and see how far we've come!

By the middle/end of October, we had our driveway in! We hoped it would be in by the time winter came. Luckily, snow wasn't a problem at all!

By the time we made it back, the concrete had dried. We thought it would be fun to add our names to the driveway or pack patio - or even Doug's paw print! But, we'll just have to remember that next time we pour concrete. Ha!

Once the walls went up, it really started feeling real! I've been planning where furniture will go and how we'll set up our decorations. Of course, though, I've changed my mind a million times.

What you haven't seen yet from all the pictures so far is the actual work we've put in. Honestly, I'd barely used a hammer before we started this program! Now, I've used several power tools, taken far too many measurements to ever count, and Austin and I have invested in more thermal clothing than I thought we would ever need.

I was put on a team of ladies assigned to build stairs. As of today, Amy, Jenna, Brianna, and I have worked together to build the stairs in all but one of the houses! In this picture, I'm sitting on the first set of stairs we completed. 

I never thought I would be in any sort of picture like this... but, it's become such a normal occurrence for me to carry lumber while wearing a tool belt. This was in early December! Up until Christmas Day, we were fortunate to have such mild weather!

I'll be honest, when I have the option, I usually ask Austin to carry big boards for me. How else would I have a chance to stop and take pictures?

Like I mentioned, we work from late afternoon until 9:00 or 10:00pm during the week. I should get some more current candids. Lately, no one has been showing up with just a t-shirt on. Now, it's layers upon layers to work in the dark in the snow!

I've never had a fear of heights at all, but this work has definitely tested my confidence a handful of times - especially with keeping my balance!

Some of us have joked that this program would make a great reality TV show - testing the strength of marriages and friendships. We really have been so blessed with great (future) neighbors! Austin has been so patient with me while I'm learning.

In mid-December, we started getting rain. It wasn't quite cold enough for snow yet. But, because not many of us had our roofs up yet, everything got wet. I mean EVERYTHING. We had to clean up every piece of wood we saw to keep our yards and basements from becoming a swamp of sawdust and scraps. It's also important to keep power tools out of puddles. It's harder than you'd think to control all the cords - but, definitely worth it to keep from potential electrocution!

I can't get over how cool this pictureis. This cute lady has a sweet husband and 3 kids at home. She's a marathon runner and works part-time, too! I've had so much fun working with her. She's motivating to all of us. I couldn't think of a better picture to portray how incredible she really is.

I'll have to follow-up soon with updates on the house. This was taken just before Christmas break. We were so excited to get our roof trusses up!

I can't tell you how excited I am to have a home, share it with this man, and raise a family within the walls of the house we built together. 

When we're out working, I just think about the future we'll have inside. We're so excited to have the chance to grow our family. We have so many dreams for our family. Austin and I make new plans every time we walk through the house. We couldn't be more excited. 

Thank you a thousand times!

I've been having the hardest time finding the right words to express how incredible the past few days have been. Austin and I were so nervous to let people know we're beginning the adoption process. It's hard to put yourself out there! I don't know why it matters. But, it makes me feel so vulnerable. Our hearts are just so wide open - ready for whatever comes our way.

I can't tell you how much your kind words mean to us. Our friends and family have been so supportive in sharing our story (like this, right here... our blog) and even donating to our adoption fund!! I just can't believe how blessed we are. Some days, when I lie down to go to bed, I feel like my heart is as full as it can possibly get. Then, we're flooded with love and support! Somehow, my heart hasn't burst!

My mom, mother-in-law, sisters, and close friends have been essential sounding boards these past few months. I have ideas and dreams and goals that I need to get out of my mind and into motion. I could never live a day without knowing these wonderful people will always be there for me.

Austin's heart beats in time with mine. I love when we can spend calm, quiet, quality time together, spill our guts, and share our dreams. Sometimes, I feel like our stars are aligning as we make future plans. We realize that the dreams we came up with years ago are actually becoming a reality. Austin is the best partner I could ever find. I love that man. I love that he loves me. It's so fun being in love with Austin... I want to love him more! Does that make sense?

During Thanksgiving dinner this year, my sister, Paige, talked about how she wants to take more action in showing her gratitude for what she has. She mentioned how, so often, people take for granted what they love most. I've been thinking so much about that. She talked about how grateful she is for her family and for the time she has to spend with them. To show her gratitude, she said she'll pay more attention to how she spends her time and make an effort to be less selfish. (Personally, I've never seen her as a selfish person AT ALL... but that's just my opinion.)

I am SO thankful for all of you. I'm thankful for those we know well, those we've just met, and those we'll soon meet. I'm grateful for our blog readers and anyone who shares our blog! I'm so thankful for the adoption process. I've seen it bless so many lives - birth mothers and adoptive families. I really look forward to the day we can welcome more family members.

I know a blog post is somewhat menial. But, I want to DO something to show my gratitude for all the love and support we've received this week. This is for everyone who has been (and continually is) there for us. This post is for you - if you're here, reading it. This is a public thank-you. I am amazed at the kindness of others. We have such an incredible community of loving people. I couldn't be luckier.

So, to sum this all up... Thank you!

Fresh Start

All my life, I've tried to keep a journal, diary, blog, and random records of my daily life. I love to look back at what I've been through. After all, our past - and what we've come away with - is what helps makes us who we are today. I have such vivid memories of reading through my mom's middle school diary. As hilarious as my mother was at 13 years old, she was also a good sister, a loyal friend, and a total romantic. I love that I had that chance to learn so much about memories even she'd forgotten. So, however you choose to view this blog, a journey, a story, even a "family biography," I hope you enjoy it. I'll keep it as raw and real as I can.

My purpose in blogging here isn't to sugar-coat our life. I can't fool anyone into thinking our lives are perfect. But, between all the good days, bad days, lessons learned, accomplishments, laughs, and cries, there is this gooey goodness that fills every crack. Those cracks are sealed up with love from our friends and family, memories we share, the sun shining through our windows, cozy blankets we snuggle on cold evenings, and even the way our puppy looks at us and stretches when he first wakes up. On this blog, I will document our gratitude for the high times. I want to share all the goodness we get from our lives each day.

Austin and I have been making plans for our family for almost four years! It's hard to believe it's been so long... but, I also feel like I've been with Austin my entire life. We've talked about everything from family vacations to names for our future children. When we set goals and talk about the roads ahead, we always base our decisions on the central idea of Our Family. We feel so ready to make some changes - I'm talking about BIG changes. You know what, let's just say we're ready for the biggest changes of our life. We couldn't be more thrilled.

I've started SO many "rough drafts" for this blog. I want to start on the best note I can... as if there is one certain way to start a blog. So, after days (weeks, really) of trying to come up with something completely perfect, here I am. I'm just going to be me. I can be myself. I can tell you all about Austin and me. I can introduce you to our sweet dog, Dougie. I can welcome you into our life! Hopefully, each time you read a new blog post, you can come away with another glimpse into our world.

So, welcome! We're so glad you're here! Please stay a while. Come back again and again! If you have any questions or comments - or just want to say hi, please don't hesitate! I'd really love to hear from you!!

Until next time,
Molly