Buy Dirt on Wide Open Spaces

I was driving my white VW Passat, with a one year old Karoline in the back seat. We had just gotten done swimming at my friend's parent's house on Dalmatian Drive. I approached the intersection of the two cut-de-sac's and I looked to my right. There was one last little lot left in the neighborhood and I wondered, why hasn't that lot sold? 

Fast forward and I can now see that God had reserved that lot for us! We bought that last little lot on Dalmatian Drive with the plan to build a house and sell it. The time has come for that plan to become a reality. We lived in this house a bit longer than we ever thought we would, and yet the plan has always been the same. This house was intended to be and is our stepping stone. 

Like the song says, you can't buy happiness, but you can buy dirt and that's what we plan to do. We are very hopeful to buy a few acres. We need, "Wide Open Spaces," so many song ref
erences. We dream of a forever home, Tim's shop with plenty of room for all of his trailers and future heavy duty equipment, a garden, chickens, an orchard, a putting green, and maybe even one day a pool. 

While all of that sounds lovely, our ultimate goal is to owe no man anything. When we left Westminster we set out with this goal in mind, it guided the purchase of our land on Dalmatian Drive, hoping and praying that this land would be the land that would allow us to leap frog in our goal. 

We LOVE this house, the location is lovely and I got to live out my childhood dream of living in a tree house. 

I was asked if I am sad to leave the home we built, and without hesitation I responded, "Nope." I am so thankful for the mindset of knowing this is a choice, this is something we GET to do. We do not have to sell this house, we do not have to move. We WANT to move. 

What's in store for us? Well, Lord willing, it will be a year of living in a camper on our land while we all work together to build our house. We are so very excited for this opportunity. Stay tuned, we plan to share the progress on our YouTube channel: @2one4life! 

A special thank you to Carla Braddy and her team for making our house look as incredible as we have always felt it is. Photo credits to Aaron Garcia of Yellow Drone Media LLC. The listing of our home: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/523-Dalmatian-Dr-Canon-City-CO-81212/218699827_zpid/

Unexpected Understanding

Two years ago today I took a photo of my baby girl in a hospital bed not knowing if she would live. Today she thrives. Thank you, Lord.

You might think, she *just* has diabetes, because until you know, you just don’t know, and that’s ok. I didn’t know it was “that serious” either. I’m here to share Karoline’s story with you, on her Diabetes Diagnosis Anniversary. You can find it linked here. We are so thankful for insulin, the doctors and nurses who helped guide her body out of Diabetic Ketoacidosis and for the intuition that led me to ask for blood work. While I don’t want to pat myself on the back, I also can weep at the thought of what would have happened had I not asked for blood work on August 11, 2022.

Hear my request, if something doesn’t seem right, please ask for blood work. It’s a simple procedure that can give so many answers to what is happening within a body. If your doctor says no, find a new one.

If you’ve read this far, I would like to share a positive that diabetes has brought to my life as Karoline’s mom.

As a believer there are times I doubt, I doubt why in the world God would save me, save us? How does that even work because we are awful and we get a lot of things really wrong. And then, I was staring at my child, made in my image, suffering (a child who is not awful, she lives in a fallen world, one where a body can turn against itself). In that moment, and every moment since then I have prayed that I could take the sickness from her, that I could take on the burden for her.

If my meager human love for my child could prompt me to wish so badly that I could take that on for her, why then would God be any different? He is an almighty God who saw His children suffering, and because He is God and he loves us He did interfere, He came in human flesh and died on the Cross for us. He did for all of us what I pray I could do for Karoline. The love of a Father (or mother) for their child is strong, it holds more value and worth than I think we can even comprehend here on this Earth. I know now I can see this in our God saving us.

He took our place.

He saved us.

He gave us grace.

He is good.

I am not, nor will I ever claim to be a very knowledgeable follower of Christ. I’m doing the best I can with what I have in front of me. I am certain I get it wrong every day. I also know that in sharing this message has been on my heart for days that maybe one person needed to hear it. Maybe one person wants to meet me at church to learn more. In that case being vulnerable and open to ridicule because, “Who does she think she is? I’ve seen her yell at her kids. I’ve heard her gossip. I know she’s gotten a traffic ticket…” whatever it might be, I know I’m fallen, I know I need Jesus, and I also need you. I need those around me to hold me accountable and I will love you more for it.

In the darkest hour of my life I found reassurance in my faith. In my brightest of days I pray to be a child that was worth saving, who is thankful for the grace of a very good God.

Connections

 Sitting in the airport in Panama City, Florida, a gentleman sat down across from me. He was wearing a Vietnam Veterans hat. 

My inner monologue sounded something like this, “Just talk to him… tell him thank you and about your book.”

Meanwhile the Southwest Airlines computer monitor and the airport monitor had conflicting information. One screen said our flight was delayed, the other said it was on time. I overheard the Veteran telling someone on the phone he wasn’t sure if he would be delayed or not. 

Then one of the flight attendants behind me told someone else we were not delayed. When the Veteran got off the phone I relayed the information to him. Still trying to figure out how to tell him thank you for his service. 

A few minutes later he opened the line of communication.

Veteran: Are you from California (pointing to my San Diego zip up sweatshirt)?

Me: No, I’m from Colorado. I am a teacher and got to go to training in San Diego last month.

V: My daughter is a 6th grade teacher in Texas. What do you teach?

Me: I am a high school English teacher.

V: Takes a deep breath, and with the most profound amount of caring in his voice said, “I think what you and my daughter do is incredible work.”

Me: (Pointing to his Vietnam hat) I was going to say the same to you! I’m learning about the Vietnam war from a book I’m reading. What you did and went through was powerful and …

V: My wife read that book! 

Me: I wanted so badly to get to ask you about your experience and tell you thank you. I also have been very curious if the author did a good job with the story and the facts?

V: I haven’t read it, but my wife paused and asked me questions often. It was well done. My wife said it was the first time she could truly begin to understand what I/we went through. 

V {Leaning in, and trying to hurry, our plane was starting to board}: Can I tell you a story? 

In Vietnam I flew an F4. There was a mission where we had to go to Hanoi, that’s a city in your book, and drop what we had (some form of ammunition). However, it was a misty day and we had to go in blind. We knew we (U.S.) had men on the ground, eight of them. We had to complete the mission even though they were there. 

I live in Texas now, and in 1981 (I knew I would remember the year, because that’s the year Tim was born) we had a drainage problem… Long story short, I hired someone to fix it. We got to talking and the man I hired was a Vietnam Vet as well. We discovered he was there that day, the day we had to drop blind. I was able to ask him if all eight of our men made it out. And they did. {Sits back in visual relief}

Me: That gave me goosebumps. What an incredible story. Thank you so much for sharing it with me. 

V: You can tell that story to anyone. And I have more I can send you. 

Me: {…reaching for my phone, but it was charging out of reach}

V {Opens his wallet and hands me his card}: Email me and I will email you back.

Me: Yes sir, I absolutely will. {Reaching out my hand} I’m Jamie, it was very nice to meet you and thank you for your story and your service.

V: Jamie, I’m John. Take care.

As I got on the plane I saw John in the first seat on the plane and he pointed at me and told me he looked forward to my email. 

I told Tim the story of my interaction with John that I just told you on our way home from the Colorado Springs airport, and he informed me that the F4 sits right outside of Fremont County Airport. 

When I woke up this morning I was in such an emotional state thinking about getting to email John. I know without a doubt the book, “The Women,” by Kristen Hannah had me captivated and eager to learn more from page one. It was an incredible opportunity to learn more about a time in history I knew nothing about. Reading this book gave me the opportunity to have the interaction with John. 

Tim and I have had several conversations while having our morning coffee on the back deck this summer about the good stuff in life, the things we are chasing after. We always come back to the connections. Human connections with people, our people, people we care about and connections with men like John. 

My heart hurt while reading the book, “The Women,” in a good way. It impacted me greatly, I told just about everyone I came in contact with about it and how important it was to me to learn about this part of our history. 

I want to thank all of the women and men who were in the armed forces during the Vietnam war. I would love to hear your stories, if you are ready to share them. In the meantime, I think one thing I can do is urge everyone I know to read Kristen Hannah’s book, “The Women.” 

Purpose

When I was little and someone asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I would respond I wanted to be famous, and a few years later it was a bit more elaborate in that I wanted to be the next Julia Roberts. 

In high schools I wanted to be a doctor, then a teacher, in college I gravitated towards the communications field and wanted to be a sportscaster. 

Thankfully I was blessed enough to have a family. The only job I ever truly knew with 100% certainty that I wanted was to be a mom. 

After becoming a mom I then took the alternative license route to becoming a teacher. All the while, writing here and there weaved its way through the background of my life. 

When Alexandra was born she had food allergies. I had to avoid so many foods while nursing her. In this time I really learned a lot. Thankfully we were living in Denver so being Colorado Crunchy wasn't weird or out of the norm. Since then I've continued to strive to make good healthy diet choices for our family. I'm not perfect and often times need reminders to get back on track. 

Last August Karoline was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Since then we haven't had to change a whole lot about our diet. This was a huge blessing that we already ate in a way that didn't make a diabetic diet a huge shock. We have learned a lot about nutrition and how our bodies process foods since her diagnosis. Recently I ordered the book, "Sugar-Free Kids," by Maria Emmerich. The information in this text has transformed my whole world in regards to foods. A blessing and a curse in my life is that once I know better, I can't go back to the way I was. I have to move forward and remember what I know. 

For the past 20 years I have chased after dreams, jobs, and goals. I have had moments that have sparked little flames inside of me to learn and do more. The topic of nutrition and the chance to help others learn more about how to live a lifestyle based on whole foods and exercise has me on fire. 

I told my husband, Tim, if I could go back and redo life I would go to school to learn about nutrition. However, after reading, "Big Magic," by Elizabeth Gilbert, she confirmed what I've always thought. I do not need a proper educational setting to learn. So here I am, publicly declaring I will learn more and I will share what I learn. I will lead by example and I will be available to talk to those who are excited to learn more, need support and need a helping hand. 

My mission is to empower others to lead vibrant and fulfilling lives by embracing a healthy lifestyle through mindful choices in diet and exercise. I believe optimal well-being is achieved when we nourish our bodies with wholesome, nutrient-rich foods and engage in regular physical activity.

By sharing I strive to inspire individuals to prioritize their health and make conscious decisions that positively impact their overall well-being. I promote the understanding that healthy living is a lifelong journey, and every small step counts towards a greater transformation.

I advocate for a balanced approach to nutrition, emphasizing the importance of consuming a variety of whole foods, abundant in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Furthermore, I recognize regular exercise is fundamental to achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I aim to inspire and guide individuals in finding physical activities that bring them joy and promote their overall fitness. 

I believe in the power of community and collaboration, fostering a supportive environment where individuals can share experiences, seek guidance, and celebrate achievements. 

Ultimately, my mission is to help individuals transform their lives by embracing a holistic approach to health through thoughtful choices in diet and exercise. I strive to share knowledge, guidance, and inspiration necessary for individuals to thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally, leading to a life of vitality and fulfillment.

Dear Class of 2023

Dear Class of 2023, 

Oh my Covid Freshman… You know, I have to be honest with you, I didn’t think I would be as emotional as I am about you graduating. Turns out you little stinkers snuck your way into my heart. As I’m writing this I’m looking at a few of you that won’t be here next year and I’m trying to hold back tears so you don’t think I’m crazy. I am looking at your graduation announcements. I feel so honored when you bring them to me, I love posting them up where I can see them from my desk.  Shoot, now I’m crying. 

Class of 2023, I am going to miss you. 

You were such tiny Freshman. You were timid and sweet. We had fun learning together, we tried new things. We learned making ice cream in mason jars actually doesn’t work, at least not the way we tried to do it. You learned how to make analysis statements with the best of them. Then we made our way through a scary Spring Break back in 2020 that resulted in video classes to finish up your Freshman year. I distinctly remember those of you who would try to be sneaky and play video games while we held our virtual classes.  

Then you were sassy sophomores adorned with masks. Bless your hearts, it’s hard enough to be a sophomore and you all did it with crazy words like “cohorts, masks, protocols, and e-learning.” Bowling with the “covid cones” in the hallway at the end of the year will always be a happy memory of mine that will make me think of you.

Junior year things were a bit more normal, it was your first chance to be real teenagers in high school and you did it well. 

Here we are, your senior year and with it you brought back school spirit and crazy high school behaviors that are part of being 17 and 18. Oh my kids, you are so resilient. You have been through a lot in four years. You have grown, physically (you boys get so tall) and emotionally. You know how to handle what’s in front of you and you know when you need to ask for help. 

I am so thankful for those of you who come back to see me, just to see me, even when the snack drawer is empty. You all know I had a hard start to the year and yet you stuck by my side and I appreciate you all so much for making my days the fun and crazy days that they are. They won’t be the same without you. This morning one of your classmates told me that someone will take her place. She’s right, there will always be more kids who make their way into my heart. And yet I need you to know the holes you leave behind won’t ever be filled with an exact match. 

This feeling of grief and sadness about you all getting ready to graduate is on the top of my, “Things they

didn’t tell me about becoming a teacher,” list. 

Class of 2023, you are incredible, each and every one of you. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of

your lives for the last four years. I’ll tell you one last time. I love you all, make good choices, and have fun. 

Love,

Mrs. Reed

Magnolia Market - Dreams Come True

 

When our girls were little I was a stay at home mom. Tim was on a non-traditional swing shift schedule so we would have some time during the day at home with him as well. One of our favorite shows to watch was Fixer Upper. Even Karoline enjoyed it as a toddler!

We had an opportunity to go to Waco, TX with Tim, who was picking up an enclosed trailer for his business. The girls and I could not miss this opportunity to visit the empire Chip and Joanna Gaines has built, Magnolia Market! It was an extremely quick trip, with a fair bit of driving every day...

We went, we saw, we adored, we ate, we left extremely happy and thankful for this opportunity!

First stop, Magnolia Table! We got there at 8 a.m. on a Friday and only had to wait about five minutes.

I had to try the signature avocado toast!

Lavender lemon donuts with the best cup(s) of coffee!

It was simply gorgeous every where we looked!

The cutest little colored pencils for the kiddos!

We were dressed and ready for the forecasted 80* and sun ...

Full disclosure, I was so mad at myself for not dressing cute and Fall trendy. Like, almost let it ruin my time. I just know how we all get when we are hot and was trying to avoid that. I had to let it go...

Next stop, Magnolia Market ... time to see the Silos!

There were so many happy little bees!

Our precious girls

Walking up to the entrance by Magnolia Press was a dream come true!

Getting a photo with this Santa books up weeks in advance. I can't believe we got one on the fly! So sweet of him to stop!

I was so excited when I saw him coming. 

Again, so sad about our outfits. It is what it is.

My loves!

We traveled 783 #MilesToMagnolia

I should have also remembered to bring stuff for natural curls in humidity vs. curling iron curls. 

We still have three cupcakes on our counter and I'm in love with them. 

What a blessing it was to get to visit Magnolia Market. If we ever go again I look forward to trying more of the food trucks and sitting for a while to take in the whole feel of the beautiful silo district area. Our trip was fast and we were constantly going and moving. However, I'm so thankful we got to go!

Karoline is 9!

Happy birthday, princess girl! 

This year you have grown in every way. You are stronger, wise, and kind. My darling girl, you teach me new lessons every day. 

I hope your dad and I are doing an ok job with navigating you getting older. I pray that we teach you in the ways you need to be taught. 

You made me a mom, sweet pea and I am very thankful to be your mom. I hope you have a great birthday. 

We love you so very much.