The Story of Us.

In honor of Valentine's Day I present the story of US... AVR and the Homestead Engineer that is...

The 1st documented photo... December 2009. We met at a library (read Bar). Through mutual friends and a fierce wingman (aka my friend Brian)

We both were at crossroad places in our life. Me newly single after a 7 year realtionship and he with past shall we say transgressions of the vehicular form.

In the summer of our 1st year. He had some wrongs to make right. It would have been easy to walk our separate ways, but as my sister in law tearfully whispered to me very early on "You see what I see. You know the good that's underneath." So... for the end of that summer and into fall... this handsome fella lovingly known as "stick Nate" was a constant companion in his place.

The Homestead Engineer has had his share of learning curves. Farm life has always been mine and although raised at the opposite end of this rural county, the idea of livestock, hunting, gardening and wood chopping... was all my life, but quickly and easily became our life.

In fall of 2011 he would too call 2950 home and we began with the few items (including a Bull Dog Max) to carve out our life together. In December of that year with a ring financed through a friend and with the secret belssing of my beloved Dad, The Homestead Engineer asked to make this arrangement permanent with our marriage.

June 30, 2012 we became Mr & Mrs AVR and NJR. In a field below our home with homeade wine, home-grown flowers ( my bouquet was a staggering 8lbs) the tunes of the Mayo Brothers Bluegrass band filled our little valley.

 With nothing more than a kick ass doula and his loving embrace we welcomed RKR  that September and 2 September's later LBR.

In 2013 I met him with the proposition that I would continue to work and he'd take on the role as our Full time Homestead Engineer  (because stay at home Dad isn't fitting enough term for days filled with the library, the zoo, lunch dates with great grandparents, wood cutting, deer hunting, house cleaning etc. Etc. Etc.) To which he quit his job 20 minutes later. It has taken financial creativity and balance, but if you've ever met my ladies you know he's doing one hell of a job! 

I will forever be grateful that God sent me a man who fearlessly will go after any bump in the night yet gentle enough to host high tea with the ladies and be adorned in floral regalia.

For over 2,599 nights I've closed my eyes knowing the love of this man. Although Valentine's Day is a time to pause and think of this I grateful for the love I know everyday of the year!

"You are my sunshine my only sunshine you make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear how much I love you..."

Today and always to my Homestead Engineer with love!

♡AVR