Mountain Life 16

As many of you may have guessed, I love my family. They are the blessings and joys of my life. When God set us on a path to live the “Mountain Life” they rose to the challenge when others would have gone running for the hills; pun intended.

When the dozer finished clearing the pad, we had our work cut out for us. We tried to get an electric pole set for construction but since there was not prior electric we would have to wait for construction of lines. That was fine; we had a generator to begin with. We tried to get a well dug but could not get anyone to come down our road. That was fine also; we had a pond dug. It seemed like each time we tried to do something, there was a stumbling block.

When the engineer came from the electric company, he quoted us a price for construction. We set a little more aside and began construction. Thirty days after construction began and materials were bought, the engineer called back and said it would be four times as much as originally quoted. This was a problem because our budget did not allow for this. We were finished framing the first floor and half of the second.

I was disheartened to say the least. It seemed satan did not want us to have a mountain home. But he did not count on my very smart and talented husband. God blessed me with a man that knows a little or a lot about everything. Quinton told the engineer that it was all right; we would just generate our own power.

It was several more long months before we moved into our home but in Feb. 2009 we did. It was not finished but we decided a lean-to was better than the tiny trailer.

The house continues to be a work in progress. We have generated power and treat the water from our pond. We haul drinking water, cut wood for the fire and have fresh eggs from our chickens. There are things we can’t have but they weren’t important after all.

My oldest son cut 90% of all the wood used to build our home. All of my children will forever be able to say they cut a road old school and built a house by hand. I am so proud of them. They never complain about what they lost or what they give up each day because they know we were saved by God’s grace, love and mercy.

Peace, love and God’s will.