Of Gypsies and Cowboys

Good morning.
It's dark and rainy on this first day of Spring. The flowers are blooming though, and we look forward to warmth and growth and sunshine in the weeks ahead. Actually, it's impressive to consider just how much has progressed and being accomplished in this first week, despite the cold and wet. We've moved our life (and family and belongings and...), we've begun setting up house in a new home, we've created and brainstormed and processed all kinds of ideas and issues, and we've done all this with very little sleep in a fairly new territory (for me at least) with incredibly limited resources. So, yay to us on almost surviving week one!

As for the details....
While we thought the first week or two would be quite laid back and spent catching up with family and then moving onto GreenHomes work, we've plunged right into stuff and are actually focusing more on the GreenValley aspect of the business plan. (Note: GreenValley is the coffee roasting/sales. Originally just an addon to the online store, but now [potentially] a whole thing in itself). Jeremy is working hard, roasting a great product, and setting up a good foundation. It looks like we're going to push to get this part fully set up and functioning before going nuts with GreenHomes. This (hopefully) will allow him to be working at hom and caring for Jem while I take time to set things up with GreenHomes details and market some stuff outside of the house.

To be honest though, following some honest conversations this week and some reflection and introspection, I'm alright with GreenHomes taking an extra month or two before launching. If I'm entirely honest, I just want to be home with my baby, write books, create healthy products, cook solid meals, and enable my home to be a home. That isn't likely going to be our reality this year, but it is what I'm looking to in the future. So, if GreenHomes can fly and set us up for a greater future-- yay! But more than that, if GreenValley can do well and grow and be the longer termed plan, that's cool too. Really, who knows how this is all going to pan out or what we'll actually end up doing with it all. I just keep looking towards a year from now.....

Within all the above is the difficulty of starting a business and a whole new life with an 8 month old. Honestly, if it were just the two of us, things would be a whole lot easier. There'd be more sleep, less crying ;) , and two full-time people available. When you add a baby into it, everything becomes much more complicated. Having a home business is not simply putting the kiddo down with some toys and getting all kinds of things accomplished. Instead, it involves a fine balancing act between work, family, rest, fun, expenses, chores, and those once-in-awhile things like a shower or sleep. It's tough. No, it's more than tough. It's really really tough. We're living in a vertical learning curve and walking a fine line. But...we're still alright, so yay on that.

Well, time to go. J just called and it turns out the brakes and shocks are shot on the Aztec. Ha! Ah well, that makes sense given the trip we put that sweet machine through. Today will involve considering car stuff, figuring out water for the trailer, working on coffee, and perhaps planning the garden.
Until next time.....