They say that if life hands you lemons, make lemonade. We all know that this is easier said than done, yet nothing is truly impossible if we set our minds to something and put in a lot of effort to achieve it.
Cara Brookins ended up in a vioIent marriage. She left her husband, took her kids with her, and started over in a new house since she was a mother of five and understood she had to protect her kids from the toxic environment they were made to live in. How was it accomplished by her? by creating her own construction blueprints and viewing YouTube videos that demonstrated various building skiIIs, such as installing plumbing, running a gas line, laying a foundation, and erecting walls. It sounds amazing, doesn’t it?
Now that she’s thinking about it, she acknowledges that it has been impossible the entire time.
Cara, a computer programmer analyst, came up with the idea to build her family’s new home from the ground up because she couldn’t afford to buy a house big enough for all of her children at the time she started building it in 2007.
Cara described the feeling as being that “if anyone were in our situation, they would do this.” “I know it sounds crazy now, but no one else saw it likе this.”
She borrowed about $150,000 for construction and paid $20,000 for an acre of land.
Her children helped build their 3,500-square-foot home; the eldest was only two years old at the time and the youngest was seventeen.
Since there was no running water on the property, her 11-year-old daughter Jada had to use buckets to carry water from the neighbor’s pond. Her son Drew assisted her in creating the plans. After that, she combined it with concrete bags weighing eighty pounds to create the foundation mortar.
The children would visit the site and assist every day after school. This tenacious mother paid $25 per hour to a part-time firefighter with building experience to complete the most difficult tasks. He was “a step ahead of us in terms of knowledge,” she recalled.
The family finally moved into Inkwell Manor on March 31, 2009, which was named in honor of Cara’s aspiration to become a writer.
“We felt ashamed that the only option available to us was to construct our own shelter,” Cara remarked. “We weren’t particularly proud of it, but it ended up being the best thing I could have done for myself.”
“Anything is possible for you if I, a 110-pound computer programmer, can build a whole house,” she exclaimed.
She continued, stating, “Select one goal and stick to it. Choose a big project you’ve always wanted to do, start small, and take the others who also need to recover with you. That has a great deal of power.
This isn’t it one of the most amazing tales you’ve heard recently?
If this family’s tenacity inspires you as much as it does, please SHARE their amazing tale on Facebook with your loved ones!
My Maid of Honor Declined to Wear the Dress I Selected for Her – Her Alternative Outfit at My Wedding Astonished Me
When Jessie’s maid of honor, Emily, showed up in a dress that Jessie didn’t pick, her picture-perfect wedding day took an unexpected turn. Emily’s shocking attire sparked chaos, setting the stage for some sweet payback.
Hey everyone, Jessie here! Two weeks ago, I married the love of my life, Kevin. It should’ve been the happiest day ever, right? Well, thanks to my so-called best friend, let’s just say it became a story for the ages — and not in a good way.
Emily, my supposed best friend, the woman I’d chosen as my maid of honor, managed to steal the spotlight in the most outrageous way possible…
Emily and I have been best friends since we were knee-high to a grasshopper. We practically grew up together.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Emily’s a great friend, supportive and always there for me. But there’s this one tiny, well, not-so-tiny detail about her — she’s a tad competitive.
It started small, you know, harmless races on the playground to see who could reach the swings first. In high school, it was all about grades—who could snag the highest GPA.
Then came college, and suddenly, it was about who could throw the most epic birthday bash. You name it, we “competed” at it. But hey, that was all in good fun, right? Or so I thought.
Despite her win-at-all-costs streak and arrogance, we always managed to stay close. I never really saw it as a competition; I just figured a little healthy rivalry pushed us both to be better.
We navigated life together, from scraped knees on the playground to the corporate jungle of our careers.
And when my boyfriend Kevin popped the question, there was no doubt in my mind who’d be my maid of honor—Emily, obviously.
Planning the wedding was a whirlwind of excitement. I wanted everything perfect, down to the last detail. Romantic elegance was the theme, with soft hues of lavender and blush creating a dreamy spring garden vibe.
The bridesmaids’ dresses were a beautiful shade of lavender, the perfect complement to the whole aesthetic. I mean, I was paying for everything, dresses included, so naturally, I wanted everyone to look stunning and harmonious.
The day of the final fitting arrived, and Emily came over, all smiles and sunshine.
But as soon as she saw the dress I’d picked for her, her smile completely vanished. She held the lavender fabric at arm’s length like it was some kind of contagious disease.
“Uh, Jess,” she mumbled, “I don’t think I can wear this.”
“What? Why not?” I furrowed my brow, completely confused. This was the dress we’d all picked out together, the one everyone agreed on. And it was gorgeous.
“This color just washes me out,” she whined. “I’ll look like a ghost in it.”
Honestly, that was a stretch. The dress would look amazing on her, like it was practically made for her curves. But Emily was never one to back down from an argument, especially when it came to “winning.”
“Come on, Em,” I tried to reassure her, “it’s the same dress everyone else is wearing. You would look beautiful, trust me.”
But she wasn’t having it. She huffed and puffed, making a scene about how unflattering the dress was and how she just couldn’t possibly walk down the aisle looking like a pale ghost.
My patience started to wear thin, but you know how it is with bridesmaids, especially your best friend. You just don’t want any drama, right? So, I caved.
I reluctantly agreed to let her pick out another dress, hoping she’d at least choose something that wouldn’t clash with the whole lavender theme.
Fast forward to the wedding day. Everything was picture-perfect — the flowers, the venue, even the weather cooperated and decided to bless us with a beautiful spring day.
Butterflies danced in my stomach as I stood at the altar, waiting for the music to cue the bridal party entrance. My bridesmaids walked down the aisle one by one, looking stunning in their lavender dresses, just as planned.
Then came Emily’s turn.
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