Real Mom, Real Life, Real Home
I’m Steph. A busy Mom of a blended family with 12 total children between my current husband and I. 6 are mine (4 boys with 2 girls bringing up the rear) and 6 are his (4 girls and 2 boys with one girl at the front and 3 at the rear). When we got together 5 years ago my husband had his 3 youngest girls left at home and I had 2 almost grown boys and 2 girls. My boys have all left the nest and we have 5 girls remaining in our care, 3 are teenagers. I work a full time desk job for the last 18 years, through a divorce and making it on my own with a bundle of kids. I know what it is to be busy, stressed, depressed and overwhelmed. I have learned a few things along my journey.
I grew up in the 80s and remember watching Anne of Green Gables with my Grandma. Grandma was born in 1913 and lived on a farm until I was 12, she’d lived there for over 50 years. I was heartbroken when she sold the farm, of course Grandma missed it more than I did, well except all the work. She moved down the street from us in the city for a few years but she just didn’t like the city very well.
Grandma had learned to oil paint after my Grandpa died when I was 18 months old and my twin sister and I’d go down to her house to watch painting shows on the VCR or Anne of Green Gables. We’d talk about painting, not art as she said she wasn’t an artist, and she would serve us simple foods like Grape Nuts or Shredded Wheat cereal, homemade muffins and when she was feeling extra fancy or maybe just lazy, Sandies Shortbread cookies. Watching Anne of Green Gables with Grandma always made me wish that I’d grown up with Anne on a farm. I still watch Anne of Green Gables when I’m feeling nostalgic. Marilla always reminds me greatly of my Grandma, I think they were kindred spirits.
I always wanted to live a life in a small town on a farm like Grandma, be a painter and do old fashioned things, ironically I also wanted to live life in the city have a career and be super successful. 30 some odd years later I’m still living in the city but I do old fashioned things and live a real cozy life. It’s never too late to live out your dreams. I’ll eventually move to my forever home and have some chickens and maybe a dairy cow but for now, I do things in old fashioned ways with a modern flair to feel a bit more self-sufficient, be a bit healthier and to find a connection with my purpose. My purpose as a Daughter in Christ, a Wife, a Mom and someday as a Grandma. The bible advises the older woman to teach the younger and I hope to now teach the younger generation the old fashioned ways in a modern world.
Come along with me.