A Decade of Life

It's easy to look back and think that 2010 wasn't that long ago, but if you really think about it, ten years is a long time.  In 2010, we were a family of six, living in Michigan.

In the next year, we moved to Tennessee,

and then by the middle of 2012, we moved to Ohio, and later that year we welcomed our fifth child.

Ohio embraced us in 2013, and we made the most of our time there as our kids grew...

And then, in a blink, it was 2014.

Before school started in the fall, we moved back to Michigan, and spent a year re-fixing up our home after renters destroyed it.  By 2015, we had officially outgrown our home, and after an extensive search, decided to buy our farm.

2016 brought lots of home renovations and we were loving our little farm.

By 2017, we knew we had found where we were meant to be.

And by 2018, farm life had taken over.  Cowboy boots and plaid shirts were now the norm.

That brings us to 2019, where we are content in our home, with our new barn and our farmland surrounding us.

But there's so much more to the last decade, isn't there?  There is so much you can't see in the smiles of family photos.  I asked everyone in our family what their top five most memorable moments of the last ten years are, and here's what they had to say...

Nash:

Our trip to Colorado
Swimming in the ocean in Florida
Going up north
Meeting Mickey Mouse at Disney World
Getting our dog, Koda

Alayna:

Hatching a goose egg
Learning to ride a horse
Going up north and playing in the sand
Helping Dad with farm projects
Going on our trip to Colorado

Greyson:

Going to Florida
Going to Colorado
Visiting the Grand Canyon
Jumping into the water in Blue Hole, New Mexico
Driving vehicles on the farm

Emerson:

The trip west
Watching cat birth
Going to Washington D.C.
Meeting Claire
Going up north

Owen:

The Colorado trip
Finally getting a good gaming laptop
Joining Robotics
Starting high school
Moving away from Michigan

Jason:
Packed up and moved my family out of state for a new job
Actually living in Ohio (never thought that would happen!)
Had a fifth child-Nash the Man
Climbed a 14er with my wife
Bought a camper and took a road trip out west, having really never camped before

This decade was also when I found my love of running.  There have been epic adventures through caves and under waterfalls and up mountains and along the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.  I have run with people from all walks of life and have formed amazing friendships.

Outside of running, the adventures continued.  There was a motorcycle trip to the U.P., several road trips to Florida, a flight to Seattle to meet fellow mom friends from across the country, and the epic two week road trip west.  I have looked down into the Grand Canyon, looked up at Mt. Rushmore, breathed the air at over 14,000 feet, and visited 28 states.

While all of that travel was amazing, we had our own adventures at home, too.  We have raised chickens and ducks and turkeys and pigs and cats and dogs.  Regularly in our backyard there are deer and sandhill cranes and pheasants and frogs and turtles.  We have grown tomatoes and peppers and raspberries and cucumbers and zucchini and pumpkins and peas and beans.  Our home renovations included roofing, siding, insulation, flooring, plaster, drywall, tile, electrical, plumbing, painting, caulking, and building a barn from scratch.

In this decade, we also said goodbye to two very important people in our families.  Grandma Lois and Grammy were the matriarchs of our families.  We are so very thankful for every moment we had with them and that our children were able to know them and be loved by them.

In this decade, I watched my children grow from babies....

In the next decade, I will watch my children grow into adults and find their own ways in the world.

With all of the incredible highs I have experienced in the last ten years, I have also experienced unimaginable lows.  I have had the worst days of my life and gone through things that are hard to believe are a part of my life.  They say time heals all wounds, but man, I don't know if it can heal everything.  My hope is that the worst of the worst days are far behind me.  Every day, I am trying to do what's best for my children and give them every experience possible.  Every day, I am trying to create a life that is beautiful and wonderful.  Every day, I am dreaming of our next adventure, the next chance to make unforgettable memories.  Every day, I am grateful for my family and the ones who have been here, no matter what.

So, here's to the next decade-the 20's of OUR time!  May these next ten years be filled with laughter and adventure and so much love.