Man, typing the title of this post was so extremely bittersweet. There’s excitement and joy in the fact that we finally found our farmstead. Yet, there’s also a great deal of sadness that the full-time RVing chapter of our lives is coming to a close. Before you continue, be warned. This is a lengthy post…so I’ll be adding some pretty pictures to make it easier on you. 😉
We have spent the last year and a half of our lives actively searching for a place to call home. We became full-time RVers so that we could do just that; look for a place to settle down. We’ve been through so many ups and downs since then. We would feel so sure one minute, and feeling the total opposite the very next. We were waiting for our “ah ha” moment. As time went on, it seemed we may never have an “ah ha” moment. We may just have to continue to be full-time RVers.
Jon and I spent the winter on the east coast. And while we were there, it felt right. It felt good. Not entirely right, but mostly right. We thought that was enough. So much so that we even went under contract for a large 90-acre piece of vacant land just an hour south of where we had been living the last three years in South Carolina. So many things about it felt right, but there was always something missing that we couldn’t quite put our finger on.
In the end, it’s not what God had planned for us, because the deal fell through for various reasons. It’s now late February 2018. We had just driven across half the country to Jon’s parents’ house in South Dakota to work on a job he had contracted in the fall. We left our camper in storage in South Carolina, because we were certain we would be returning to live there. No sooner did we arrive in Custer, SD, and the deal for the 90 acres dissolved. Now what? What the heck are we supposed to do now?
Our home on wheels is in South Carolina. Jon’s parents own a Bed and Breakfast, so we had to be out of their house by May. We had just purchased 5 goats to take back with us to South Carolina to start our farm. No home, no farm, and I never felt so far from finding our dream place to settle down.
Aside from the no home thing, I think the most difficult part of all of this was letting down the people I loved. My friends in South Carolina were so excited that we’d be sticking around. It was hard. Still is. I miss them so much. But ultimately, we realized that our hearts have always been out west…and friends can travel. =)
A lot has happened since February. Jon traveled back to the east coast by himself to retrieve our home on wheels. We’ve had tons of visitors: Jon’s best friend, my parents, Jon’s sister. I turned 30 in April! And all the while, we continued searching. Zillow had become our best friend and biggest enemy all at the same time. We searched the Black Hills of South Dakota far and wide. Nothing seemed right.
In March, Jon had decided he wanted to plan a trip to Idaho. We spent our summer in Sandpoint, Idaho last year. I fell in love immediately, but Jon needed more convincing. Our prayer was that he would gain the clarity he needed, one way or another, by going back for a little visit. I don’t believe I’ve ever prayed harder for anything in my life. It was so important to me that we BOTH loved wherever we ended up; that one person didn’t feel like they were making any sort of sacrifice for the other.
Jon took off the second week of May to go check things out in Sandpoint. I stayed back to take care of all our four-legged fur babies (which was now 4 goat kids and 2 dogs). If he felt good about moving to Sandpoint, he would have a week to check out the real estate there. One week is definitely not a lot of time when you’re making such a huge, life-changing decision. All we could do was stay in prayer. We had to keep our faith that God would provide something for us.
Soon after arriving, prayer #1 was answered. Jon got the clarity he was looking for. And the morning I got a text from him saying, “This is where we’re supposed to be. Sandpoint feels more like home than Custer,” all the happy tears started welling up in my eyes. Then it hit me. I’m literally trusting him to find us a place to live. Just him. Without being there myself, except through blurry FaceTime calls. Whoa! That is not how I like to roll. I felt SO good about it, though. I was 100% at peace about letting him find our home without me. And if y’all know me at all, you know that typically does not mesh well with my incessant need to plan out every single detail of everything. #canigetanamen
As the end of the week drew closer by the day, we were feeling so discouraged. The limited options of vacant land that had the acreage we were looking for were all turning out to not be what we were looking for. The pictures would look great online. But the properties, in person, would be less than appealing. We were beginning to think that Jon would have to go back again for another visit later once more properties hit the market. But then…
In a last-ditch effort, our realtor suggested we look at properties with houses already on them. This was never really part of “the plan.” We always wanted vacant land to start fresh on. Our agent sent over a link that literally had three or four listings attached to it. One, in particular, caught our eye, though. It was a quaint old farmhouse on 20 acres that was straight out of the 50’s. Brown, shag carpeting. Old linoleum in the bathroom. Rusty metal roof. It was ugly yet so beautiful at the same time. The house sat on the property along with a large barn built in the early 1900’s. The aged wood siding was so beautifully perfect. The 20-acre lot was completely level with fencing surrounding the entire perimeter. And the views! The property boasted 360 degree views of the Cabinet and Selkirk mountain ranges and Schweitzer Ski Resort.
We had finally found our home. It was undeniably meant to be. It was absolutely perfect for us in every single way. So much so, that Jon put in an offer before even calling me to tell me how the showing went. Talk about trusting your spouse, right?!?! That was on a Friday evening. By Monday morning, we received a counteroffer from the sellers. In order to avoid a bidding war due to Sandpoint’s rising popularity, we raised our offer quite a bit. We agreed that whatever they countered with after that, we would just accept it no matter what.
We always said that if the right property came along, we wouldn’t let anything get in our way. Not even money. Jon is ALL about getting a great deal when it comes to real estate. Our first offers on any of our past real estate transactions have always been embarrassingly below asking price. But we both agreed that in a very special case, exceptions can be made.
It was all I could do to not think about hearing back from the sellers. On a Tuesday evening we got a call from our real estate agent. Our offer had been ACCEPTED!!! Say what?!?! Come again?! Expecting them to counter at a higher price, we were absolutely blown away by that news. Guys, God is so, so incredibly good. He is good, and He is so faithful and true to His word. All of our prayers from the last year and a half had been answered in just a single moment. May 15, 2018 will forever be a day to remember.
Say “hello” to the newest residents of Sandpoint, Idaho, folks! We took this photo just after we heard the news. It still feels so surreal. The excitement is undeniable. And no, I still haven’t seen our new property in person. The day I see it will be the day we move, and that’s just bonkers.
We just closed on our property today (June 20, 2018), and you best believe that we’ll be celebrating with a drink or two tonight!
If you’re still with me, congratulations. This was a long one. Be sure to stay tuned for updates on our move and getting settled in. Instagram is a really great place to get all the play-by-play action. Be sure to follow not just my feed, but my stories as well!
If you’ve been prayer warriors for us throughout this 18-month journey, thank you so much. Your prayers have been felt all along the way. We love you. We miss you. We are so incredibly grateful for you. Thank you all! <3