Shop, sweet shop. That cute little red building is our new 24 x 36′ metal sided shop. While we will do all future building on the land ourselves (for instance, our future timber framed strawbale home!), the idea of arriving in Missouri with no place to store our many belongings was a bit too daunting; we decided to hire a local Amish man to build this shop.
Currently, most of our worldly possessions fit into half the shop. The future plan is to use half the space as a workshop and smithy, and the other half we will wall off and insulate. Come spring, we will all move into a cozy 18 x 24 foot space!
With the help of our local community, we unpacked, (mostly) settled into our house-sitting arrangement, and were beginning to do the work of creating a homestead. However, a few days after we arrived into Missouri, we came upon a very unexpected road block in the form of a significant health challenge. Instead of contracting pond diggers and road graders, Brian’s been going to doctor’s appointments, having surgery, and recovering. This has been a very humbling experience for us both. We epitomize Do It Yourself, and are not very good at asking for help. And yet, over the last month, we have asked for, and received help over and over and over again. From friends that helped us pack, or played with our kids while we loaded the moving truck, to friends and family that received us with open arms on the road, from the folks that embraced us and welcomed us here, and came in droves to help unload the truck, to the community that is sending us home with complete meals each day, just to make our days easier.
It is a true blessing, and yet, it is not always easy to receive. Somewhere along the line, I internalized that in order to ask for or receive help, I better be able to reciprocate, And yet right now, I know I am in no position to reciprocate. Right now, in this moment, I am receiving.
Thank you dear friends.
Teri Page! Chris Roth turned me on to your blog and since I am a fan of blogdom in general, I had to come by. Brad updated me on Brian’s health trials and tribs and you all are in my prayers. Please feel free to call me if you think I could help in any way, though it sounds like you’ve already made most of your decisions. Happy healing to Dirty Uncle B! Had dinner last night with Mike and Anita, we all miss you greatly. They (incl. Brad) were all glowing from a concert by “The Wayne Drury Project” at the pub night before–I had stayed home to knit after a two (plus?) year hiatus, so I was also glowing, in a knitterly haze (mohair perhaps?)
Good Job on the Receiving practice–it does go against the grain of our culturally mandated ultra-independence. I think you’ve got the reciprocating pretty much down. As a professional Giver, it helps me to remember the heart thing–which is physical and metaphysical: your bodily heart knows how to receive and give, it does it all day long, multiple times a minute, without any conscious effort. It couldn’t function healthily unless it does both in equal measure. Somehow the metaphysical heart must know the same balance of function, and this move to NEMO seems like a beautiful opportunity for your family to dwell in that. I had a big dose of that during B’s health probs a few years back, and suffice it to say I’ve never been the same–thank goodness! Love to you all.