The path to Nannyland

The first year away from the sheriff's office was a budgeting marvel but we made it through, and didn't starve. We had to watch everything we did knowing the money would soon run out and I would actually have to get on the internet and try to sell come of my carvings or get a new job. I am a self taught artist and had sold items at craft shows for years, as more of a hobby than anything else. I had sold painting, native American drums, pen and ink drawings, cards and originals, but the thought of that being our only source of income was daunting. I quit the sheriffs office February of 2005 and I listed my first carvings on ebay February of 2006. I am a little bit obsessive complusive about studing something to death before I jump in and try,  to my amazement it took off and by September of 2005 I was a power seller on ebay, which at that time you had to make 1000 a month to be. We had the money we needed to live on but it was a 12 hour a day job, which still made for little time with the family. My older kids helped out, we rented trailer houses to two of them and their spouses; low rent but it helped out. November of 2006 my husband went to court for his social security and it was granted to him. The judge gave him praise for the home we had provided for our two little girls, it was nice to hear but it was never about accolades. It was always about the knowing that God provides us with all of our children each comes to us in Gods own way. I explain it to the girls this way. "I carried you in my heart and not in my tummy." That has always been enough for the two of them. Life got to be less of a daily hand to mouth battle. We had always been happy but the pressure was off and we could enjoy life a little more, for the next 6 months I didn't list one item on ebay. We bought a new used dodge ram truck, cash, put a down payment on a modular home and had it set up on our property. We went and got firewood two or three times a week, our personal favorite way to go and enjoy the woods that God made for us to explore. Poppie cut, the girls and I carried and stacked it as he can't lift more than 10lbs. Those two little ones can stack a mean load of wood, and all the holes better be full or they will let you know about it, maybe a little obsessive themselves. Live was good, just day to day living, loving and growing. My son married the love of his live, she came with two wonderful little ones, a grandson and granddaughter, my son could not love them more if he was biologically their dad (and soon he will get to adopt them). My youngest biological daughter married my oldest daughters ex-husband's brother and in the summer of 2006 we had a little grandson, We now had 4 grandchildren, as my oldest daughter had had a little granddaughter in the fall of 2005. She at the time was taking good care of her daughter and trying to make a good go at the second chance we had helped her to get.  March of 2007 we were cutting firewood when my husband accidentally fell a tree on himself. It was the most terrifying moment I have ever experienced in my life. Next time I will tell you of the heroics of a 4 year old.