Sharing My Story, or: How we Came to Live a Family-Centered Life

One of the women on a list I run asked me to explain how we came to live a family-centered lifestyle.

I could write a book about this journey and it's hard to know where to start. Really, we are still working towards where we want to be. I learned a great deal about being self-sufficient from my grandparents, who spent a lot of time with me as a child. They had equal shares in raising me, in fact. I learned to garden from my grandfather, learned to preserve foods from my grandmother. I went hunting and fishing, tagged along to get parts for fixing various machines in my grandfather's barn (he was a mechanic). They always let me watch and ask questions - let me help when it was safe.

I was an only child (although I have several step-siblings now that I don't know well). My parents divorced when I was very young, and I craved siblings. I spent a great deal of time with cousins (two of whom lived with us and became like brotehrs to me). I also had friends whose families invited me in and made me part of their families. My own home wasn't at all 'homey'. My mother was never domestic, but I'd always been attracted to the 'traditional' model of family life. I picked up things from my friends' families.

I've always been very independent and was encouraged in that especially by my grandfather who quit school at age 12 and was still one of the most learned men I've ever known. He taught me that I could do anything I set my mind to and that if I could read, I could learn to do anything.

Much of what I know I taught myself, or had only basic instruction - sewing, crocheting, knitting, painting. Other things, as I said, were learned from my grandparents.

School for me was an abomination. I was a gifted child and got no services, with the exception of 4th grade. I was bored to distraction, had no respect for my teachers for the most part, and didn't feel I needed to do the petty work I was given. My grandparents taught me things about history, literature and mathematics in a very Charlotte Mason style. Of course, I didn't know that until I was grown! My mother taught me English grammar and languages (Spanish and French). All of this was just for enjoyment. I learned more at home than I ever learned at school.

SO... When I got married, I had a clear idea of what I wanted from life. I wanted a large family, I wanted to teach my own children (I had visions of being a sort of governess to my children!), I wanted to live on a large farm and do for ourselves almost entirely. I knew I had the skills, but had trouble convincing my husband. THAT took many years of conventional living. I did put my foot down with the homeschooling however and that is, I think, what turned Brian around. The fact that I was always making clothing for our family, and could cook, can, make jelly all helped to convince him that we could do for ourselves.

We spent 7 years in the military and 8 years total (on either side of the Air Force) in a work-a-day job lifestyle. I have never really worked for someone else since getting married. Any job I had was under my own business. Finally, after some pushing, and having done everything I could on my own, brian quit his job as an engineer and helped me start a small-press publishing company. My entrepreneurial spirit finally rubbed off on Brian, so we take any opportunity we can to turn an interest or a need into an opportunity to serve others and support ourselves.


Phew. That WAS long winded, and probably a little incoherent in places! PLEASE ask questions of me - I love to share!

Blessings,
Nissa