Where did I go?!?

 

Hi Friends!! If you've been wondering where did The Farmers Wife go? Why did she come back with a new name and site? And what's been going on the last few years well... I'm going to answer all those questions!!

Where did The Farmers Wife go?

Well, no where. haha! I am still me, and I'm still here. I took a break from blogging because life felt too heavy, and so busy that I originally intended to just take a step back and come back with new content in a few months... And well... That step back turned into years and a lot of change!

If you are already friends with me, then you know our family hit some huge milestones and changes in these years. We became leaders at our local church, moved, adopted a teenager, who became a woman and got married, and we had a baby! Yup... all in that order... Like I said, life was a little bit much. With all these changes, going from a family of 4 to a family of 6 in less than 2 years (7 if you count my amazing Son in Law) blogging, taking pictures of recipes, it all just became a forgotten habit. Dinnertime was a rush to get food on the table and eat so we could run to the next thing, and taking a picture just stopped occurring to me. 

Why did I rebrand to relaunch?

Well... short story really. While I am still a Farmers Wife, my purpose has changed, and I don't find my identity in what my husband does anymore! Also... It's a really overused blog name and I like being unique! 

My goal with this blog is to bring you healthy, family friendly recipes, with a sprinkle of fitness and a whole lotta Jesus. I understand this may not be for everyone, and that's ok. But this is me, this is the calling God placed on my life to share in this way and it was finally time for me to say YES to the call!

So you will see recipes like the one I posted yesterday, as well as updates on my fitness journey, my insights from the Bible and my relationship with Jesus, and I hope and pray you will join me on this journey. If nothing else, you can always reach out to me for conversation, prayer, or just a friend! 

  

What's been going on?

So you already know the basics, we bought a beautiful new home that had a spare room we truly didn't know what to do with, but felt it had to have a purpose. The kids were still pretty little, and life seemed to be moving pretty smoothly. Then my Husband and I started leading Lifegroups (Small groups through our church), and this young woman and her fiancé started attending from our very first night. Within a few short weeks, life changed drastically for this sweet girl, and she suddenly needed a place to live. As you probably already guessed, she moved into that spare room. As time went on she became a part of our family. As she had recently lost her only parent, our roles as just landlord and leader quickly shifted to Mom and Dad. To some, this may seem weird. Adopting someone who had just turned 18, she's an adult, why make it official. Well, because making it official was what God called us to do. I don't have another answer. And on Father's Day of 2017, she presented my husband and I with already filled out adoption papers asking us to be her parents for life! When I tell you just recalling that day brings tears to my eyes, I am not joking. Our son and daughter had already started calling her Sissy, her Fiancé had very much become a part of the family, and it was like she was meant to be with us for always. Not everyone will understand or identify with our story, and that's ok. But to the world, to my heart she is 100% as much my daughter as my other kids are my kids. 

About a year after her adoption, she got married! Now this may not seem a big deal to you, but it was a huge event in our lives. We hosted it at our home, in our beautiful backyard we had done, and much earlier in our lives than anticipated, we experienced being the Parents of the Bride. Giving away a daughter you just truly gained is just as hard as giving away one you have raised from birth, in my opinion. The tears of love, joy, sadness, excitement was all flowing that beautiful day in June! And when my Husband and Daughter shared their father daughter dance, let me tell you what, there wasn't a dry eye in the place. They danced to this sweet song we found called Dance with My Daughter by Jason Blaine, and there is a part of the song that hit hard: 

Greatest gift in the world
Is a new baby girl
Feels like God took a chance
Placing her here in my hands

Gonna dance with my daughter
Spin her around under the lights
'Cause I'm just a father
Making the most of this moment in time
Before she lets me go, I'll hold her close
Caught in this race against time
Right now all I want is to dance with my daughter tonight

Ok, I'm back from wiping the tears from my eyes... haha! So after our sweet girl got married... about a month or so later my Husband and I got another big surprise.... We were pregnant!! Now, for most this is a time of celebration but for me it was a time of panic and fear. You see I have PCOS and a history of multiple miscarriages, including one the year prior that was really awful and messed my body up hardcore. I remember thinking there was a good chance this baby wouldn't stick, and telling myself not to get attached. All the names and terrible things you are thinking of me, well believe me I came up with more. Everyone around me was excited, but in every moment I had alone I was in panic and prayer. I remember one day I called my friend and leader to tell her the news, and I couldn't keep myself together, I let all the awful things I felt come dripping out of my mouth, and you guys... She didn't condemn or put me down. She loved me and prayed with me and against my fears right then and there. And I can't say the fears went away completely, in fact they lasted even after my beautiful miracle baby girl was born. Her labor was the hardest I've experienced, but the fastest delivery. And she was perfect. Beautiful, sweet, loving, everything we prayed for. But pregnancy messed up my body, I was much older than before, and recovery well that is still an ongoing process and she's now 2 1/2. Which is what prompted me to really start pursuing healthy living and fitness for my body now!

Why come back now?

Now fast forward to the now, and why I felt called to rebrand and launch back out. Because it's time. Earlier this year I felt God calling me to write, and I started a book. But then life happened as it usually does and the words left me. So again I put the calling on the back burner. And as the year has gone on and seasons have changed that calling to write, to share my story, and my life has become a constant theme in my devotionals, sermons, teachings and urgings from unknowing friends. And I shared my heart with my Husband, he encouraged me to start here, where it all began and start fresh. So here we are friends! I'm still me, I still homeschool, I still cook, clean and lead Lifegroup. But now I also coach, and help other women who, like me, want to be healthier wives, moms and leaders. Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually too. You don't have to join my team to be a part of what I'm doing, and the amazing changes God has brought into my life. Just say yes. Yes to what you are called to do, yes to growing and changing and going through the hard times so you can come through it on the other side and say "Wow... I overcame that and didn't let life, family, others get me down." And I want to be here for you friend. Your story is different from mine, it's uniquely yours and beautiful! So what's your story? Why are you here? How can I be your friend and do this amazing life together with you?