Our small town life ❤

Small town life. Who wants to live in a small town? There can’t be much going on, the city is where you stay busy! ..right?

No.. wrong! I was so naive.

I grew up believing that cities are where you connect with people. How could you not? You’re surrounded by so many. At. All. Times. How could you ever be lonely with so many people near?

It’s surprising actually. Easily. Especially as a stay-at-home mom. That’s how I felt. I needed more connections to the outside world.

Going through a transition in our life, we moved into a beautiful brand new 2-bedroom apartment next door to my husband Nikko’s office, and close to tons of shopping. So convenient! Why would we move anytime soon? Renting was fine if it meant that we were that close to everything with all sorts of amenities. Like a pool right outside of our back door!

I got a job at a nearby gym and our life felt comfortable. Easy. Happy. 😊

I loved where I worked and the people I worked with! Still, I was one of the only employees with children, and life is just so much different once you have kids. Am I right?

Anyway, SURPRISE!!

Halfway through our lease at our new apartment, we found out we were pregnant with our 3RD baby girl!💗

3 kids in one small bedroom? Oh no.

Time to take a big step…

Buy A House! 🏠 ..Quickly!

This was such a difficult thing for me. I hated the idea of being so… stuck. Owning a house seems so permanent and I want us to be free to travel!

Being skeptical of what the future had in store for our growing family, I began searching online for houses. I didn’t want one that was “cookie cutter”. You know, the same as every neighbor. At our price range (with our student loan debt) I couldn’t really expect anything more. Not that there is anything wrong with those houses, I just didn’t want to go into further debt, and be stuck anywhere, unless it was somewhere I could love.

I kept searching and clicking on a house that just seemed a bit too far. A 42 minute drive from Nikko’s office!

There were 9 pictures that I couldn’t stop looking at. It was far, but could we do it? The home we lived in before our apartment was a 35 minute drive to his work with traffic… this house would be 42 minutes on backroads and a more enjoyable drive along a river. We at least decided to check it out.. it couldn’t hurt considering it’s the cutest house I could find. One that I would get stuck for! Yeah… a big deal, right?!

The drive was pleasant along a winding road through the mountains and bordering a river. We drove past a waterfall that I would swim at as a teenager.. it felt exciting and new, but still slightly familiar.

Just past the waterfall, it opened up into a large valley and we were driving next to some train tracks that led directly into our destination, Yacolt, Washington. The population being roughly 1,500 residents at the time. There are fruit trees lining the road and an old steam train parked at the train station. Picture perfect!

Not only are we already loving this entry into town, the second we see the house.. we are smitten! My hopes are so high it scares me. I want this house! It’s white with beautiful scroll work and a huge yard… more yard than we could ever afford in the city! Not only that, but it’s the founder’s house. The man, and his wife, that plotted out the 16 acres that is now Yacolt. There is a road named after them… ‘C.C. Landon’ which stands for Charles and Catherine… better known as “Charlie and Kate”. How awesome is that? I love history so that makes me feel even more attracted to living here. Plus, my name is Katelyn and I get called Kate sometimes too. Connection! I love it! …we all do.

I. Am. Sold.

The home is being sold by the owner and we have no real estate agent either. We make an offer and they accept!!! We download a standard contract and meet them at Starbucks a week later to drink some coffee and sign the papers.

Within 3 weeks we move in! It was meant to be. His plan in His time. 🙌 The only house we went to see, and it quickly becomes our home.

Our move starts out rough when one of our fur babies, a 4 year old American Eskimo dog named Sona, dies unexpectedly the day before closing. 😪

We had dreamed of her loving her new yard. Our hearts hurt, so to remember her, our first purchase is a wind chime with a curly tailed dog on the top… just like our pretty girl. It helps us heal everytime the wind blows. ❤

Sitting on our front porch and listening to the chime, we dream of all the ways our life will change over the next year. Who will we meet? Will we make friends? Think of the possibilities!

We go to every town event, I make mom friends at our town park, and we sign our oldest daughter, Kylie, up for t-ball and Nikko helps coach!

After the move, we continued to drive 40 minutes to attend our former church, but not too long after, we decide to try out the church that is two blocks from our home. Their Vacation Bible School that our girls attend is so impressive that we want to give the Sunday service a try. This is where our small town life really begins to bloom!

We know so many people throughout the town now that everytime we sit on our front porch we have someone drive by and wave, or stop and chat.

We feel so at home, in every way.

Summer comes back around and we attend ‘National Night Out!’ Who else loves this? I hadn’t heard about this until I moved into a small town. Just another reason that I am so happy with where God has placed us to grow.

I personally get so involved in our community. I volunteer at the primary school when Kylie begins Kindergarten, in the church nursery, and for the town picking up trash. By attending town meetings and voicing my opinions, the mayor says I should join the council. I laugh it off, but 2 months later I am elected to take a vacant seat on the town council!! Can you believe it?? I still can’t. 😄

I went from being a lonely stay-at-home mom to having lots of mom friends and being a member of our town’s council.

During my term, the current mayor resigns and I, being mayor pro-tem, become the acting Mayor of Yacolt! 🤣 (until interviews and elections could be held)

Still… The Mayor?! How hilarious! Life can change so quickly! All while being “just a mom.”

Moving to our small town has, by far, been the greatest decision we have made for our family. God brought us exactly where we needed to be.

Have you heard that saying “less is more”?.. I finally understand it.

If you want to live big, think small! You won’t regret it.

❤ -Mama Katie

Verse of the day-

“Above all, love eachother deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.” -1 Peter 4:8