What a joy to be able to write those words. What a surreal moment. After more than six months of living in transit, out of suitcases and in various houses; after months more of preparation and planning to leave Australia; and honestly after years of praying… here we are on our new farm.
It is not fancy or grand. It is not even really ours because we are renting. But that doesn’t matter. It is still a wonderful realization of a dream. Perhaps not the final destination, but an exciting haven on the journey.
Future Plans
Our new home is an old farm house on about 11 acres in East Texas. The land has been run down and over grazed by horses. Ravaged by neglect and drought. It is about half cleared and half wooded with a seasonal creek running through the back end of the property. It is full of weeds and opportunity.
With eyes of hope and faith, we see fields of lush rich pasture, grazed rotationally by a couple of dairy cows, a small handful of beef cattle and pigs moving through the forest. Pastured poultry move daily across the landscape behind the cattle – growing into plump roast chickens and turkey for our table. Slowly they heal the land with their pecking, tilling and manuring activity.
Laying hens cluck and scratch at the earth contentedly while providing nutrient dense eggs for our growing children – and hopefully some extra for our boys to sell. Large productive compost bays feed our prolific veggie patch behind the house as we learn how to garden in this new climate.
These are our hopes and dreams. It is good to hold this vision daily before our eyes as we begin the long hard work of rebuilding the soil, creating infrastructure and planning and building this little farm from scratch.
Cleaning Up the New Farm
When we first moved in there was a huge cleanup needed. We hauled trailer loads of rubbish away to the dump, chopped down dead trees and pulled rat infested old cupboards out of sheds. Carpets were pulled up and walls painted. After weeks of long tiring days, working through one of the hottest summers on record in East Texas, we were ready to move in.
Help Along the Way
One of the biggest blessings we have encountered since moving to America has been the outpouring of kindness and generosity from the people we have met. Many people offered to help with the cleaning and moving in. It was quite an overwhelming experience.
Some people came and gave physical help to the process. Others showed up with gifts of furniture, food and tools to help us get established. To us it was a lavish gift of God’s care for our family as we had stepped out in faith to make this move.
Settling In To Our New Farm
Our family has moved many times before but of course this was something altogether different. Not just the usual work and stress of relocating belongings and setting up house, but the mental challenge of learning how things are done in a new country. Everything, it seems, from real estate procedures, to setting up electricity and rubbish collection services, has proved to be vastly different from what we are used to.
So while still trying not to be stressed by driving on the opposite side of the road and learning new road rules, I was driving back and forth to real estate and public service entities trying to understand how it all works. This is not a complaint. It is all part of an international move. We chose this. It is just to highlight how mentally as well as physically draining this process has been. I’m sure I have created dozens of new neural pathways in my middle aged brain as I’ve had to rethink and relearn what has always been my norm.
With Grateful Hearts
Finally after we were moved in, things slowed just a little and we had a chance to breath and reflect. Well, in truth, I had a chance to breath a little. My dear husband has not stopped. While doing all this farm and house repair work, he has also been working two jobs and pulling huge hours to keep us afloat financially. Moving countries is not for the faint-hearted.
But in the odd quiet moments we have taken an evening walk together around the property and rejoiced in God’s goodness. Marveling at the golden light of the setting sun through the trees, watching as the children laugh and play in the open fields (of weeds), or following as they show us the tree forts they have built in the woods, there is just so very much to be thankful for. We know we have a huge job ahead of us, but we are full of hope and gratitude.
To read about how we got here check out The Back Story
Follow us on Instagram or Youtube
I came here by way of jesses video. Have learned a lot off of YouTube in the last 4 years. And your way of making sourdough bread seems a lot simpler and not overbearing, I may give it a try again! Thank you
What a move you’ve had! Many blessings to you and your family❤️
Welcome to America……..from western KY….Suzanne
HiSuzanne, lovely to hear from you! thank you so much. I do hope you try the sour dough again. It really is a wonderful skill to have and so fun when you lose the stress over it. All the best!