Why we chose to build a homestead

and walk away from the “Normal” life

For a long time, we’ve felt a pull toward something slower… more intentional… more rooted.

Empty calendars and sunshine fill our souls and fuel the kind of life we’ve always dreamed of.

That’s partially why we chose to homeschool—
to avoid the rushed mornings and packed evenings.

Because busy schedules tend to create disconnect and stress for us…
and that’s not the kind of life we want to build for our family.

So instead of buying another house, we bought land.

But this wasn’t a quick decision.
It’s actually been unfolding for a couple of years now.

A few years ago, on a beautiful Saturday, Aaron wanted to show me a home in a neighborhood called Coldwater.

Because he’s a REALTOR, this isn’t unusual.

It’s just typically met with an eye roll from me.

But for whatever reason, on that particular day… I said yes.

And we loved the house.

So much so that we put in an offer.

At the time, we had three kids, and the layout made sense for where we were.

But while we were negotiating, another buyer came in with a stronger offer… and we lost it.

At the time, it felt disappointing.

But looking back…

that moment mattered more than we realized.

Not long after, my parents fell in love with the same neighborhood.

We both purchased lots.
They built their home.

And we waited.

Saving.
Planning.
Dreaming up what ours could be.

Every time we got close to pulling the trigger… something held us back.

We had a builder we trusted.
We had ideas.

But we kept getting stuck.

Going back and forth on floor plans.
Trying to make numbers work.
Second-guessing decisions.

Every time it felt like we were getting close… something just didn’t quite line up.

If you’ve ever tried to build a home, you probably know that feeling.

Then last fall… things started to shift.

We went to the Parade of Homes and connected with Maggie from Hunt & Gather.

From the beginning, we trusted her.

She brought clarity and creativity to the process—and we realized pretty quickly that we needed help narrowing in on a plan.

She introduced us to Frusterio, a luxury home designer whose style we really loved.

We even drove to Wake Forest to walk one of their homes in person, because we knew seeing something in real life was completely different than looking at it on paper.

We thought we had found “the one.”

Until we didn’t.

As we started digging into the numbers, we realized that finishing a basement the way we envisioned would add far more to the cost than we originally expected.

What we thought would be a simple way to gain space quickly became a much bigger financial decision.

And at the exact same time… something unexpected came up.

During a design meeting, Maggie mentioned a large piece of land in a newer section of Coldwater.

One that would allow for a different kind of lifestyle than we had originally planned.

One where we could bring our horse home.

That moment changed everything.

We started asking questions.

Looking into it more.

And the more we explored it, the more it felt like a door was opening at just the right time.

We already had a horse.

The land allowed for it.

And suddenly, the vision shifted—

from simply building a house…
to building an entirely different kind of life.

One that I had always dreamed of.

Ironically, Aaron always said he didn’t want a farm.

He grew up on farms and knew exactly how much work it required.

But something about this property felt different.

It wasn’t just about the work—

it was about the space, the lifestyle, and what it could mean for our kids.

Room to run.
Room to grow.
Opportunities to learn responsibility in a hands-on way.

All within walking distance to grandparents and the lake.

And just like that…

everything started to come into focus.

Now, we’re under contract on that land and working through the process of designing a home that fits our family as thoughtfully as we know how.

We’ve met with our builder, our draftsman, and Maggie, and we’re currently waiting on the first draft of our plans.

We’ve learned quickly that building requires a lot of patience…

and we’re still working on that.

In the meantime, we’re making big decisions behind the scenes.

Selling our beach house.
Trying to make wise financial decisions.
Preparing for what’s ahead.

And somewhere along the way, this name came to life:

Iron & Harvest.

“Iron” is a nod to the history of the land, with the railroad that once ran through this area.

But it also reflects something deeper for us—
the idea of being sharpened, refined, and strengthened over time.

Just as Scripture reminds us.

“Harvest” represents both the land itself and what we hope to cultivate here.

Not just in a physical sense—
with gardens, animals, and space to grow—

but in our family, our faith, and the life we’re building together.

This won’t happen overnight.

And we don’t have it all figured out.

But we’re starting anyway.

And if you’re building something of your own—

whether it’s a home, a rhythm for your family, or a completely different kind of life—

we hope this space encourages you along the way.

We’re really glad you’re here.

And if you want to follow along as we build…
we’d love to have you here.