Good morning, the cows and goats have been milked the chicken, pigs, and cattle have all been fed, and the eggs have been collected so it is official the day has begun here in our little piece of the country. As I sit here and enjoy a cup of coffee I wonder at all of the changes out lives have taken in the pat 5 years; it is quite a list;

2003

In 2003 my husband was working a factory job, the same one he had since the day he walked out of high school, then one day he got the news the factory was closing.

I was working in the hospital as a surgical nurse happy with my life, or at least I thought I was but knew that we could live more simply but wasn’t quite sure how.

Summer our daughter had just completed the 8^th grade and was excited about moving on the high school.

We lived in town in a nice neighborhood but, we longed for the room for a larger garden and a different life, well we got one that is for sure.

2008

My husband after completing 2 years of training and year’s worth on internship is now working at the hospital where I used to work and is in charge of the heating, cooling and ventilation there.

After having some serious medical problems I am now a SAHM and tend to the gardens, house and animals instead of my patients.

Our daughter has been married for 14 months and is a brand new mother with a family of her own.

We now live 9 miles from town and have all the room we need to raise most of our own food and we now longer have neighbors, none very close anyway!

So many changes in only 5 years but it has all been worth it in so many ways I sit here and marvel at the number of changes we have made and how some might think these changes are way to drastic and would not want the work load upon them that we have taken on. More physical work yes defiantly, but the stress of so many other things is gone, no more dealings with neighbors over compost piles and the dog barking, no more wondering if we have enough money to buy the latest lawn mower of whatever the neighbors have brought home (yes I know that was crazy to begin with) .

I have sat down many times and wanted to write the story of how we have made so many changes in out lives and this is just the beginning of our story.

Have a great Saturday!

Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program. -- Spencer W. Kimball, 1976