Mountain Lane Homesteaders

Where to live.....

The continuing saga of our journey. 

Our new job was secured, but before leaving Montana to go home there was the issue of where we were going to be living once we moved here.  After our wonderful night at the resort we spent the entire next day with a realtor looking at houses. (This is the same lady who had taken us on the mountain safari when we first arrived).  After many many discouraging attempts we realized that there was no house for sale in our price range that we would even come close to wanting to buy.  The plan to rent was really almost no better as we had been told that there were very few rental places in the area.  Enter the next WOW moment of our trip.  We asked the realtor if she knew of any rentals available.  After first telling us that she didn't know of any she paused for a moment and sort of smiled.  Then she said, "You know, I like you guys.  I might just be willing to rent you my place.  I wouldn't be willing to rent it to just anybody, but I LIKE you guys!"

This lady had purchased a home and had owned it for less than a year before meeting and falling in love with someone out of town.  She was spending less and less time at her home and more and more at his but still wanted to keep her place to allow a little more equity to grow before selling it.  So she invited us to drive out and look at it.  During the 10 mile drive out of town I wondered how we were going to gracefully decline if her place was less than desireable.  

As soon as we pulled up into the driveway my concern immediately vanished.  The house was small but very nicely kept and had a garage and a beautiful large yard out front.  It only got better as we went inside and I saw the nice clean BIG kitchen with TONS of cabinets and counters (my own kitchen at home was very small and lacked enough cabinet and counter space so this really gave me a thrill!)  Right off the kitchen was a little dining area with sliding doors out to the back yard.  The view?  More unkept city houses all crowed together with people everywhere?  Nope.  We found ourselves to be looking out across the beautiful Clark Fork River with nothing on the other side but trees and a little sandy area of beach.  The bank of the river was literally at the edge of her back yard.   She had made a path that sloped down where you could walk right up to the waters edge and on the bank leading down was a beautiful rock garden with strawberry plants scattered all through out. 

Well, of course you know we had just found what would come to be our place of refuge, rest, and recovery.  We worked out all the details with our new friend (whose name is DeeDee by the way!) and headed back to Iowa to pack up, sell our house, and say our goodbyes.  Our visit to Montana and the job offer was in mid August of 2003.  We returned to stay at the end of September and Sam started his job with the bank on October 1st. 

This move from Iowa to Montana, from a big city to a small town, from everyone we knew to everything being new was just the beginning.  In the days and months to come we would begin to open up our eyes to a whole new vision for our home. 

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11:41 AM, Monday, July 24, 2006 .. Posted by BuzyMumof3sons

That is just amazing!! Thank you for sharing! :)

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12:22 PM, Monday, July 24, 2006 .. Posted by Kitty

I loved your "saga". It was a wonderful story with a wonderful ending. I hope everything continues to work out for you and your family.
Kitty

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12:56 PM, Monday, July 24, 2006 .. Posted by Farmwife410

I have been enjoying your blog, thanks so much for sharing!

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1:41 PM, Monday, July 24, 2006 .. Posted by morningsunshine

yeah! a good job, and a lovely house. may my own move to homesteading be as fortunate!

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8:05 PM, Monday, July 24, 2006 .. Posted by JoyceFamily

I am SO enjoying reading about your saga. God is good!
Eleanor

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8:27 PM, Monday, July 24, 2006 .. Posted by wvmountainmama

I enjoyed reading about your adventures! We relocated from Kansas City to a very rural area in West Virginia, so I can relate to your story. At this point though, I could NEVER go back!! There is just something calming about mountain air and the views!

I really enjoyed your site! I'll certainly be back!
Blessings,
Jodi

What an Inspiring Story!

1:26 AM, Tuesday, July 25, 2006 .. Posted by jackiebridgen

God has blessed you so richly - isn't it just great when He confirms your choices? I am hooked, and will be following your story - albeit perhaps a tiny bit green with envy of the mountains and the open spaces - from our little homestead in England.

jackie