In the process of remodeling the blog (isn't it beautiful?!), I realized something quite profound – I'm growing up.
I was twenty-four when I started this blog. That was almost a decade ago (as just last week we celebrated my thirty-third birthday). In that time, we've moved across the country twice, had three more babies, started two farms from the ground up, got through college, paid off the debt from college, achieved Blue Diamond in dōTERRA, shot a Food Network pilot, and published three books (and self-published a fourth). Years ago, you were likely to find me rambling on about food politics or celebrating a newly acquired skill (I baked my first loaf of bread at age 25). It's funny now to consider.
Ten years ago, I didn't understand style. My closet was compiled completely of hand-me-downs from my sisters. I didn't understand my body shape, my physical strengths, or my taste. I was also blond – for what it's worth.
In those early years, I shared about pregnancy, birth, and the unmet expectations that often accompany those realities. I was a new mom, learning to cloth diaper a baby and breastfeed. I fumbled around naps schedules and diaper bags and car seats.
I was also a new wife – we were married just a year before we got pregnant. Stuart's first day of college was the day Georgia was born. We set out with low-paying jobs, terrible work schedules, college classes, and a newborn to care for. Our rental house gave me a place to practice hosting, decorating, and homemaking. Here's a hint: it didn't go that great. Growing up can sometimes be a bit messy.
A decade is a short time in terms of history, but in my world, it's changed everything. Perhaps you've seen that throughout the many pages of writings here on the blog.
Now, at thirty-three, I'm a mom of four. 8, 6, 4, and 3. Stuart and I have been married for just over a decade – in fact, my ring is currently at the jeweler's getting re-engraved and cleaned. Turns out, a lot of life has happened in those ten years and my ring showed every bit of it.
Though far from finished, I'm certainly a great deal older, wiser, and sure of myself than I was ten years ago. I know life seems great when you're nineteen and your breasts are perky and your skin is glowing. But let me let you in on a little secret: life is even better when you've traveled more of the journey (perky breasts be damned).
I wouldn't trade the progress of the last ten years for youth. I wouldn't trade growing up for anything.
Though far from perfect, I know who I am as a mother. I know my tendencies, strengths, weakness, and shortcomings. If nothing else, I know how to pave the way to the cross for my children – showing them daily how to ask for forgiveness from the one place it's found.
I know who I am as a wife. Again. Far from perfect. But after ten years with a partner, there have been plenty of opportunities to share, laugh, cry, argue, ask for forgiveness, forgive, die to self, encourage, challenge, and love. Lustful, young love is gone – only to be replaced by something far richer. Like panna cotta versus creme brulee. Know what I'm saying?
I'm no longer blond, lest you missed that. I let that go with my youth. What I am now is an (almost) natural redhead with a taste for wellies, vintage clothing, classic cuts, tailored jeans, perfect plaid shirts, knee-length skirts, and high heels. I wear red lipstick every day and darken in my eyebrows (something I NEVER though I'd do). I know how to take care of my skin. I know how to style my hair far beyond a messy bun. It takes me less than two minutes to get dressed in the morning because I keep less than twenty items of clothing and I know each one serves me well. Point being: I know what works (mainly from years of what didn't work… read: bangs).
Perhaps most significantly, these days, I'm much more interested in people. I'm not as interested in forcing them to understand my point of view or getting them agree with me. I'm not interested in arguing or pushing. Rather, I'm interested in knowing. Seeing. Discussing. I'm interested in opening our home and our table – come one, come all.
I'm interested in savoring life – the people, the food, the places, the problems, the challenges, the experiences, and the discussions that make it colorful.
I'm interested in cultivating a space that is inspiring, content, safe, vibrant, confident, and positively fraying with life. And sharing that space with others – be it physically or digitally.
I suppose the point of these words is this: I'm very much looking forward to our next decade together, my dear reader. Who will we be after the next ten?
PS: For a tour of the gardens that grow these beautiful flowers, check out our YouTube video on just that:
I so agree with the value of maturity, main point being that with aging we all tend to evolve exactly into the human being we choose to be. With all of the smiles, laughter debating and growth through diversity we somehow, if one is paying attention, come out of whatever is sent our way with a wisdom that is priceless.
In my opinion you’ve come a long way in ten years. Here’s to more adventures ahead for all of us. Definitely something to look forward to.
PEACE OUT Patty J…
P.S. your images and writing inspire!!!
Love your writing~ thank you
:]
Beautiful post. Having just recently discovered your work, I’m enjoying catching up and look forward to coming along for the next chapter.
darling Shaye! I found your blog nearly five years ago. I was first drawn to you because you shared your beliefs in regards to food politics, Biblical womanhoood, etc. truth be told, I have really missed hearing about that on your blog! perhaps that is because I myself am still young (20 this month) & so strongly want people to see the value in this way of life. I am often referred to as ‘judgmental’ for that reason. perhaps that is true, but I prefer the term ‘passionate!’ I have feared that your purpose for ceasing to write about the more controversial topics was to avoid losing traffic. I hope that you still hold strong to these convictions in your personal life, but also know that peace is found in keeping our opinions to ourselves. above all, glorifying our Savior is most important & I’m happy to know that we will see each other in heaven one day.
blessings,
Clare
I just saw this comment and can’t help but want to reach out because I feel the exact same and i’m the exact same age also…it seems rare to see people the same age interested in the same thing! It can be so hard nowadays with all the judgement that comes along with it!
shaye I love reading your stuff. You are an inspiration and I just love seeing your new content especially your vlogs. You’ve inspired me in my gardening and I’ve been doing a lot of reading about David Culp’s gardens. His garden is 30 minutes away from me. Funny that a garden that inspires you from so far away inspired me because of you writing about him. I never would have known. And so close to me. I feel guilty having not known of him before. Little gems. Thank you for your honesty, your candid journey and your homesteading wisdom.
I am blessed by this post! I started following your blog just weeks it seemed after you started it. I too have been growing up and when I started reading of your daily endeavors in Alabama, and your dreaming of maybe one day having a farm house sink (haha!), I was maybe twenty-one, newly married and living in a basement rental apartment. I am now twenty-eight and have three children, a garden, chickens, soon sheep, and loads more wisdom praise be to God!! I still don’t know about style but try my best 😉 and much of what you’ve said I am on my way towards! Too funny! Thank you for sharing Shaye. Ps) This post made me also think simultaneously of Charlotte Mason’s emphasis on beauty and Truth, and Rosaria Champagne Butterfield’s wonderful hospitality. <3
Thank you so much for taking us on this journey with you. I am 66 years old and love looking at your young lives and thinking about my life journey as a young mom, growing vegetables, canning and living life with hubby and three kids (now with four grandsons). My husband is not a ‘Stu’ who enjoys homesteading so we never had the livestock to contend with, but as I watch your videos I see a little of you in the young woman I was, although I chuckle, knowing I was never chic on my best days in the gardens! Enjoy every moment of this precious life God has blessed you with. You touch my heart and make me smile.
Shaye, I have followed your blog for many years. It is the only blog that I read every post. I admire how you share your Christian faith, how you have produced a thriving homestead,, and how you have used your talents to branch out to writing, essential oils, etc.
I am 71 years old. My husband and I have a sheep farm, along with assorted cows, coats, chickens and dogs. We love to flower and vegetable garden. We are having the time of our lives. I am happier now than I have ever been. The wisdom that God gives just continues to grow every year. So you have the best yet to come.
I have been watching you and your family on YouTube. I have left a message on your last episode. I haven’t seen a post in over 2 weeks. I’m hoping you and your family are safe and in good health. I have so missed your postings. Are you going to come back soon?? God Bless till I see your next posting.
I’m so pleased to have stumbled over this piece. I just wrote something similar on my own blog, and it’s lovely to find similar meanderings. thanks for sharing