The Life I’m Building in the Middle of the Mess

If you found me through social media, you might think you know what our life looks like. You see the horses, the chickens, the little farm girl running around in dresses, rodeos, camping trips, pretty sunsets, homemade meals, and all the little moments I choose to share. And I love those things. I really do.But there’s also a whole lot that doesn't make it into a picture. There are hard days. There are things we're trying to figure out. There are plans that haven't worked out the way we thought they would. There are moments where I feel like I'm doing a whole lot of surviving and not a whole lot of thriving. And honestly, that's where I've found myself lately.

The part you don't always see

Social media is funny because we're usually sharing the parts of life we want to remember. The happy moments. The pretty pictures. The new project. The family outing. The little kid milestones. The good horse runs. The mornings where everything feels peaceful. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with sharing those things. But sometimes I worry that it gives people the idea that everything is always easy. It isn't. Our life isn't perfect. I'm not always organized. My house isn't always clean. My toddler doesn't always cooperate. Sometimes dinner is thrown together at the last minute. Sometimes the laundry pile feels never-ending. Sometimes business is slow. Sometimes money feels tight. Sometimes I'm exhausted. Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing enough. And sometimes I just feel tired.

But here's the thing I've been learning: The hard parts don't cancel out the good parts. There is still so much good here. Even when things feel heavy, I have so many things that I don't want to overlook.

I get to watch my little girl grow up. I get to raise her around animals and dirt and wide-open spaces. I get to ride horses. I get to cheer on the people I love at rodeos. I get to sit around campfires with friends who have become family. I get to build a business from home. I get to create things. I get to learn new things. I get to wake up and see a sunrise over the farm. 

And there are so many tiny moments in between all of those things that probably wouldn't seem like much to anyone else—but mean everything to me. A little voice calling for Mama. A kid covered in dirt. Fresh eggs from the chickens. A quiet morning at the barn. A good conversation with a friend. A successful horse run. A family dinner. A vanilla DP from Sonic when I desperately needed it. Those are the things I'm trying to notice more. 

I'm learning that life can be both. You can be struggling and still be grateful. You can be tired and still be happy. You can be worried about what's coming next and still enjoy today. You can be in a season where things aren't going the way you hoped while still realizing there are parts of your life you wouldn't trade for anything. I don't think we talk about that enough. We tend to think we're either doing great or we're struggling. But real life isn't that simple. Sometimes you're standing in the middle of a really hard season while also living some of the best parts of your life. And that's where I am right now. Some things are hard. Some things are uncertain. But there's also so much good happening. And I don't want to be so focused on getting through the hard parts that I forget to actually live the good ones.

So what is Ag Mama Collective?

That's really what I want this space to be. Not a place where I pretend to have everything figured out. Not a place where every day looks picture-perfect. And definitely not a place where I'm going to tell you that there's one right way to do motherhood, farm life, homeschooling, business, or anything else. It's a place to share what I'm learning along the way. You'll find motherhood here. Farm and homestead life. Horses and rodeo. Homeschool and learning activities. Low-tox living and the things we're actually using in our home. Recipes and things I'm cooking. Digital products and resources. Building a business from home. And probably a healthy amount of toddler chaos mixed into all of it. Some weeks might be practical. Some might be educational. Some might be a recipe or a printable. And some might just be me sitting down and telling you what's been on my mind. Because that's real life. And maybe that's enough.

I don't know exactly what the next season is going to look like. I don't have everything figured out. I'm still building. Still learning. Still adjusting. Still trying to balance being a mama, wife (kinda), business owner, horse girl, homemaker, and all the other hats that seem to multiply overnight. But I'm also trying to remember to look around and appreciate what I've already built. Even when it's messy. Even when it's hard. Even when it isn't exactly what I imagined. Because this is still my life. And there is so much good tucked into the middle of it.

So if you're in a season where you feel like you're just surviving, I hope you know you're not the only one. Keep going. Watch the sunrise. Notice the little things. Give yourself some grace. And don't let a hard season convince you that your whole life is hard. You've made it through every hard day so far. And tomorrow gets another sunrise. 🤍🌅