Things are about to change in a big way in our household. It’s all very exciting and scary. Let me give you some background information to explain!
The past year has been just little too crazy. Running my business, homeschooling the kids, driving hours every week to get kids to lessons, activities and jobs, trying to ensure that everyone stays healthy with nutritious food, meeting the mental, physical and spiritual needs of 4 young people, maintaining a happy marriage, nurturing my faith and pretending that my house doesn’t look like a disaster zone are just some of the things I’ve been trying to juggle. More often than not, those juggling balls have been dropped.
So often people ask me how I “do it all” and I always reply that I don’t! I can’t – no one can. I have a family who I also consider my team. We work together to get things done, and still there is more than we can handle.
I’ll admit that I’ve been really stressed this past year and that my old, unwelcome “friend”, anxiety has been popping up more often than I care to mention.
On top of all this has been the problem of my husband’s back injury. Without going into too much detail out of respect for him and for the organisations he has worked for, he sustained an injury at work almost 15 years ago. He has a collapsed and oozing disc in his lower back. He has continued to work in his job to support us, but it has become increasingly difficult to do so. In recent years, it has become a bit of a jumble of specialist’s appointments, employer negotiations, daily pain medications, more doctor’s appointments and more referrals. The specialists want to avoid surgery, as it would mean full fusion, a 12 month recovery period, and no guarantee of success.
It has always been a dream of mine that my husband and I could work on a business together. I have been given the gift of being self employed and not having to rely on a job for income, and I wanted that for him too. We had planned to wait and hope that my business income would grow to such an extent that it would replace his work income. We’re not there yet. But it has become unfeasible for him to continue working when he is in constant and often severe pain.
That brings me to our decision! He is coming home. He will remain on casual status at his current job, but he is only obligated to work one shift a month. All of the things that I’ve talked about have been the catalyst for the change, and we feel that God is leading us in this direction, in fact, we feel that there is no other choice to make at this time. It’s not how I hoped or planned, but life rarely is that way.
So, what does this all mean for us?
It means that we can now be a real team. That I can get help with all of the things I need help with. That we will be working together for the benefit of our family. Reduced stress. More time to work on making the business bigger and better. More time to work on our neglected home and fix those things that have needed fixing for I don’t know how long! Particularly for my husband, who has worked so hard for so long, more time to spend fishing, which is his lifetime passion. Yes, it’s going to be a big financial change and challenge, but I think the benefits will outweigh the negatives. And I’m really excited about the possibilities that it will open up for my weaving school.
My husband is pretty camera shy, but who knows, maybe you will see a little more of him in my videos from now on.
Once again, I am so grateful to all of you wonderful people out there who choose to support me and my family by purchasing classes, memberships and patterns and watching my Youtube channel. Without you none of this is possible.
Onward and upward!
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
I was touched by your love for your husband and your family. You have all it takes to make it work.
Congratulations on your decision and best of luck,
Marguerite
Thank you very much Marguerite ❤️
That’s great that your husband is able to be at home. I love working with my husband on the farm, that’s actually how we met 🙂 I think it always makes for a stronger bond in your relationship, being close by one another. I’ve worked at different jobs outside the home from time to time, and I’m always glad when they are done for the season.
It’s great that you’ve had that opportunity Marjorie 😊❤️
Hi Kelly, I can’t believe I missed all this. We too are homeschoolers and my last is a senior this year. Doing the parent and counselor paperwork for college admissions in the US is a full time job so I have not been very faithful to my weaving these past few months. I do so wish you and your husband the best on this journey. He could sell us all patterns for that warping stand he built – it looked sturdy and practical. My brother-in-law (who, like your husband has a medical background) chose to have the surgery. It did not help. Hopefully being off his feet so much and not lifting will help relieve some of your husband’s pain. I applaud your willingness as a family to take this on and make it work. You have such a positive attitude – it is infectious. Just know you have an audience of students and learners that appreciate your calm, thorough, patient teaching methods. We all hope and pray for the best for you and your family. And though it is hard for all of us to do, let us know if you need something – you do have many fans who can be your cheerleaders, your prayer warriors or whatever else we can do from round the globe.
Thank you Mary Kay!
My eldest is going off to college this year, in a different city, so that is another big change. I don’t think the paperwork is the same here, there certainly has been a lot of it but it seems we have it easier than you in that respect.
I like your ideas about my husband making patterns to sell and have had similar thoughts. For now though, I’m just happy to have an extra adult around to help. Today he took over the homeschooling and it went well, so that will be happening more often. I’m sure that you, as a homeschooler understand how grateful I am to have help with that!
I care about you & the positive impact this will have for your family. You’re a terrific teacher who really cares. I’m learning so much. You’re so generous & patient. I hope your hubby really benefits from the rest he’ll get without having to be on the job. I can see how you, with your creative abilities, will rethink & redo your business to include your hubby. I can see this happening in ways that will present themselves as this new beginning takes shape. I’ll be so curious & “there for you”, as this change blossoms. I KNOW, if anyone can get a grip on this challenge, Kelly, you will & can. Can I say? Hugs?
Thanks so much for your support and kind words Liza ❤️
Hi Kelly,
I don’t know how I missed this post. This is an exciting change for your family.
A few days ago in my morning quiet time I read the following. May it bless you as it blessed me.
May you rise up today with the full assurance that God has your back. He is with you, for you, and actively working on your behalf. He does for you what you cannot for for yourself. May you do for Him the one thing you can do: Trust Him with your whole heart and embrace joy along the way.
Blessings, Debby
Thank you Debby, I love that! ❤️
Kelly, I want to wish you and your family the best as you start on a new adventure. It will be lovely for your children to have their dad home more and for you to have some more help. I have found that we can handle things better than we understand and you and your family will find a way through and be a stronger team, I have always appreciated your weaving knowledge and I will try to promote your school with any weavers I meet.
Thank you so much Maria ❤️
Hi, Kelly! This is all good news to me…to know that your husband can be more comfortable (I have had much back pain and refuse surgery…and it IS a day-to-day challenge…but fishing will be good for his back, heart, mind and should! So I am grateful that you and the family have submitted to God’s plan instead of struggling to meet the plans you feel you must meet, on your own. Total submission is scary, at times, but His plans are divinely created and when we can let go and let Him be in control, we have peace (granted, there will always be those moments when fear takes over faith…but He never, ever leaves us! You and your husband and all the family will remain in my prayers! God Bless you! And thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thank you Joyce ❤️
I’m sorry the health issues of your husband are part of this, it seems you are turning it into a positive though, and I admire you and your family for it. Wishing you all the best!
Thank you Barbara 😊
My friend has this little saying”God’s will God’s bill! I love knowing that when I’m in God’s will He always comes through in and generally in a big way! Praying God’s blessings on your new endeavor!
Thank you Nancy, I love that ❤️
My husband lost his job suddenly after a bad accident at work, and because of his age and injuries he found it hard to find another one. We had been talking on and off about his becoming my full time carer for a couple of years as my disability was getting worse, and finally decided to make that big decision. Our income dropped like a stone initially but God looked after us, our finances balanced out and all my husbands work stress has gone. Life is good.
Thank you for all your lessons and videos which have helped me so much with my weaving. Just as so many prayed for us, I will keep you and your family in my prayers and pray for success, healing, and true contentment in your lives.
Thank you Jacky. I’m so glad to hear that you have found happiness in a difficult situation. Your prayers are much appreciated and I will also keep you in mine ❤
Thank you Kelly, bless you and your lovely family.
❤️ ❤️ ❤️
I hope 2020 brings you everything you and your husband and family need for a happier and healthier life. Change can be hard, but it can also be exhilarating! Sometimes both…hoping the changes in your life lead to good things.
Thank you! 😊
It was so good to learn of your decision Kelly. As you say the Lord will help and guide you in all the steps you will be making. Your weaving community will be there in support. You have established such a strong sense of belonging and encouragement.
Thank you Glenda, I do feel so loved and supported by my beautiful weavers ❤️
Dear Lady, I send my best wishes on you during this time of change. You are a beautiful woman, inside and out, and so strong! You will have much success because you are so determined. Thanks for all you do. Embrace the journey! ❤️
Thank you so much, what beautifully kind words!
Wishing you all the best in your dreams Kelly.
Thank you ❤️
Very encouraging about you having a helper. Love the work you do to support weaving. Circling your family with prayers. Looking forward to many great classes.
Thanks so much Donald!
Wishing you both all the best! You can do this!
Thank you Eve!
Thank you for sharing this with your community. It sounds like a wonderful path forward for you all. I hope your husband will find some relief from the pain. That unwelcome friend (anxiety) is no fun 🙂 Stay healthy.
Thank you Trish ❤️
Kelly, you are right. God has a way of sending us in the right direction when we truly need it. I’m happy you both came to this decision. Life is too short. Hopefully your husband will have less stress at home too and less pain. I’ll add your family to my prayers for healing and financial security. Thank you for all you do for all of us. I don’t get to weave very often since I’m mainly a contemporary basket artist, but I am a member so I know those main weaving skills will be available to me whenever I want to put them to use.
Wow Pat, I didn’t know that about you! Do you have a link (social media, web page) where I can view your work?
You can find me on FB. Just look for my name. I’ll send you a friend request.
Well I wasn’t sure how to send you a friend request for your bus. FB page so just look up my name and if you send a friend request to me, I’ll confirm it.
My husband and I have learned everything works out when we follow Gods Timing! I will continue to pray for your husband and his health as well as your new chapter in life together. ❤️
Connie, He has always provided for us, I just have to remember this and that I have no cause to doubt 😊
Dear Kelly,
Firstly I would like to say that I have learnt so much about weaving thanks to your skills as a teacher. Life has a funny way sometimes in delivering what we most desire, I believe that it doesn’t happen until we are ready for the challenge, Self doubt is a very natural emotion that can spur us on or make us give up altogether, so it’s great that you are going in the direction you really want to go and wonderful news that you and your husband can realise your dream together. I’m sure you will be a great team together and wish you all the very best in your endeavours.
Thank you Juliet, for these lovely, encouraging words. I certainly did not feel “ready” as a 23 year old expectant mother, and yet that baby is now almost 20. And yes, even though I felt I had no idea, he was definitely what I desired most. There are so many other life events I’ve not felt ready for, but turned out to be wonderful blessings!
What a huge change for you all, but it sounds like you’ve come to the right decision in the right time. I wish you all the best, and especially hope that both your husband’s pain can be better managed and you can enjoy more anxiety-free days. I deal with anxiety myself, and am also self-employed in the fiber world. Last year was the busiest, most frenetic year I’d had, and there was a good bit of personal/family challenge in it too. I knew I couldn’t maintain that pace either physically or emotionally this year and have made some significant adjustments. It means working less, which is scary, but I’m feeling so much healthier in so many ways already. Change is always kind of scary, but when you see positive results from it, it’s also motivating to keep on pursuing the healthier choices.
It can be very difficult to set boundaries when you are your own boss, there is no “clocking off” time. Do you find it so? I’m glad you are moving towards finding a better balance, it is definitely a goal I want to obtain too.
I’m sure you will have a wonderful future ahead of you now that the decision has been made, Kelly. Our health is the one big jewel in our lives and if we can nurture that everything else will fall into place. Good luck for you and your lovely family as you go forward.
Thank you Julie 😊
Such good news! I am so happy for you and your family Kelly. I feel confident that everything will work out for you all. I love your lessons and method of teaching. Sincere best wishes to you all! Sandra
Thank you for being so encouraging Sandra ❤️
Life is so full of changes, sounds like this one will be a blessing…
I really feel that it will be 😊
God is good!!! Congratulations!
ALL THE TIME! 🙏🏻
I’m only new to your weaving world Kelly, but I appreciate your story, particularly as I have also suffered back injury & had to have surgery to rectify it several years ago – with GREAT SUCCESS!!
I wish you all the best & I know your business will thrive.
Noela, I’m so happy that your surgery was successful, that is really wonderful!
Kelly,
I am very excited for all of you! I know how hard decisions like this can be, but in my experience, they seem to work out for the best.
Much luck, joy and success!
Charlotte
Thank you Charlotte, I’m sure it will work out for the best ❤️
I’m happy for you and your family. An amazing exciting and challenging time ahead. I will pray for you to be able to grow your business together.
Blessings Glenda
Thank you so much Glenda ❤️
Oh, I am happy to hear this!! God bless you and your family!
Thank you Linda!
I am excited for your husbands new life venture and I understand how scary it can be to leave the security of a job. I was in a similar situation many years ago, but I was working as a nurse and sustained a severe knee injury. I had three knee surguries and was then bone on bone and in excruciating pain 24 hrs a day and just could no longer keep it all going and left my job too. It was diffucult finacncially at first, but eventually we adjusted and it was the best thing that could have happened as I got to stay home and be more present in my daughter’s life. I continued to be in pain everyday until they eventually did a total knee replacement and I am finally pain free. You are lucky to have gotten your weaving business and school off the ground before he left his job, and I am sure it will all work out fine as you are a wonderful teacher and I see your business continuing to grow and develop. Best of luck to you all!
Susan, that must have been difficult for you, I’m so glad to hear that you are now pain free, how wonderful! My husband is also a nurse, and I’m sure you know that injuries are frequent in that line of work. Thank you for your words of encouragement 😊
Good for you all!! I so hope it all works out. My thoughts are with you. I’m planning on your next weaving boot camp. We are in the middle of caring for a sick sibling but I should be available next time. In the meantime I’m muddling along and happy with my results but ready for some guidance.
Thank you Judith, I hope you can join us for the next Boot Camp, but mostly I hope all the best for your sibling ❤️
Dear Kelly,
I admire you and your husband for all that you have accomplished and managed to do, as a family, with your lives. I was so sorry to hear about his injury, the pain, the worry, and the need to go on working despite all of that. I am very happy for you that you are both taking a new direction that will give him physical relief and that will bring you all closer together, even more so than before. I wish you all the very best in the direction you are taking, and I hope that he will now get a chance to heal as a result of this very major decision. I watched you putting your new table loom together, and that is the first glimpse I had of him!
I have not joined your classes because it seemed to me that without being on Facebook, one might not benefit from them. Do you think that one could benefit from the classes without being on Facebook. As I may have mentioned before, I have been teaching myself on a Kromski 15″ Harpe Forte through your YouTube and other videos and from books and DVDs. (By the way, have you thought of DVDs as an additional source of income, and how about a book!). I have been doing alright with my weaving, but there is so much to learn and so many little things for which there are no available answers. If you have the time, I would love to have your feedback.
Again, thank you for sharing the big changes that are happening in your lives, and again, many good wishes for every success.
All the best to all of you,
Veena
Thank you for your well wishes Veena 😊
I have actually moved the member’s focus group from Facebook to a different network (not social media). So far it is working quite well. I did this so that all members could receive the benefit of joining the group, rather than just those who are on Facebook. When a new student purchases a monthly, yearly or gold membership, they receive an invitation link to join the group.
Yes, I have considered a book, but that would be a big time and work commitment. I’m definitely not good with meeting deadlines. But, perhaps one day!
I haven’t considered making DVD’s, once again, more work and not as much demand these days I don’t think.
Congrats and best wishes to you! God bless you both!
Thank you Renee!
Kelly-Best of luck to your whole family. May the life changes you are making bring all of you joy, good health, prosperity and grand adventure.
Thank you Joan 😄
I wish you the best of everything. For me personally in my weaving journey, I have found your videos to be the greatest help. Thank you.
Thank you Carol, I’m so glad you have found my videos helpful 😊
So very happy for you and your family. Such wonderful news! Wishing you all the best. I haven’t been weaving since before the holidays because I was missing my knitting. However, I will no doubt return to weaving in about a month because my best friend who got me into weaving is coming to visit.
I’ve been admiring all your knitting on Instagram, it’s very impressive!
My husband decided to retire early. It was a huge change financially for us. We looked at how we spent our money and made many big and small changes. It was the best decision we have ever made. We have less stuff, but more time together and more experiences. Your road will be a little rough in the beginning, but will be filled with blessings.
Thank you for your encouraging words Christine. We have always lived a frugal lifestyle and it has seen us through many financial ups and downs 😊
Oh, Kelly. This news is wonderful. So much deliberating, discerning, risking. May you continue to feel the support of this very-real-community every step of the way. Much love from CA, celeste
It certainly hasn’t been an easy decision, but I feel happy about it. I appreciate the support so much.
I wish you every success, and that your decisions are the right ones for you as a family unit. Your family is the most important thing, and I can see you know that
Thank you Julie 😊
God bless you both on your journey.
Thank you Chris ❤
wishing you and your family all good things…
Thank you Cheryl ❤