Here it is…the first post. Just in case my grandma isn’t the only one reading this, I will introduce myself. Hi! I’m Rachael. I love Jesus, I am flawed and a little broken, but am thankfully redeemed. I mess up and I don’t mop my floors nearly as much as my mother would like…or probably my husband. I am married to a guy I crushed on in jr. high, the kind that you wrote your last name as his in Mr. Sketch scented markers on papers in your trapper keeper. He is my favorite…his name is Matt. I had a beautiful daughter, Emily, at the young age of 17 (a story for another day) who was the first of the greatest treasures the Lord would give me, along with Madilyn and Cooper (who came later). I love living my life with these four people. They make it messy, fun, hard, beautiful, sad, and happy all at the same time. But mostly I love the story they each have. Seeing God work in and through them and forming me along with it in the process.

  I am now, and have been since 2009, homeschooling my kids. I try not to make that the whole of who I am…but it’s a huge piece. Being a mother, wife and homemaker all happen in and around my children’s education so it’s ever present. I also am an avid crafter and dabble in a lot of DIY. Luckily for me, I married smart. My husband can literally build a house from the ground up, and has been complemented, by more than one county building inspector, that he wires a gorgeous electrical panel. This keeps me from destroying anything or getting into too much trouble with my projects. I have all the potential to be on one of those renovation disaster reality shows if it wasn’t for that guy.

  I can be chatty. My Mom, who would say, “tell me everything, like I was there”, was the opposite of my Dad, bless his heart, who would say, “make sure you give me the Reader’s Digest version”.  I would literally have to stop and go over the story in mind, finding the places I could edit out some of the maybe not as crucial bits. I’m sure it was still way more information than he needed. Even in high school my friends would laugh as I got going, “it’s story time” they would say. I can’t help it…storytelling is in my blood.

 And that really is the reason I’m starting this little blog. To share and encourage, tell the stories and happenings in my little part of the world. I love sharing with people so this comes naturally. I hope you enjoy following along with whatever musings I happen to produce here. May they be fun and real and always point back to the one who made me, the true author of every good story.