3-Building On: Grateful for the Process and the People Who Carried Us Forward

After the first week of the blitz build, things quieted down—but the work kept going. We were so grateful for the friends and family who helped us frame the main house, and every time we rounded the curve of the driveway and saw the structure standing there, our hearts filled with joy. Still, there was plenty left to do: more sheeting, framing the entry hall and garage, installing windows… whew.

When we moved to Spokane to begin this chapter, Mark had a job—but just a couple months in, the company shut down. It was a certainly a surprise. Still, he ran the numbers and realized that if we did most of the building and finishing ourselves—and continued living with his parents—we could make it work. We decided to put our full energy into building the home.

We found a rhythm. The boys went to preschool a couple days a week, and on the days they were home, one of us would head to our home work-site early, then come back for lunch. After lunch, we’d switch—one working, one with the kids. It wasn’t easy, but it worked.

A few months in, some newly married friends who were figuring out where to make their new life rented a nearby Airbnb and offered to help. We all learned together as the construction continued. When my parents came to visit, we put them to work too—and the “Truss Team” was born. I’ll never forget the day the truss truck arrived, and a crane lifted the trusses onto the garage walls. I heard my dad behind me let out an overwhelmed expletive. I turned and said, “Don’t worry, Dad—we know what we’re doing.” It was one of those moments when we realized we had become the adults in the know.

After my parents left, we kept moving forward—installing windows and tackling the next phase. We had found a company that “adopted” misordered windows and doors from other construction projects. By purchasing these “orphaned” pieces ahead of time, we could frame our openings to fit them. It was one of the ways we stayed committed to building as sustainably as possible. Because this was a truly custom build, we could make thoughtful choices—like using sustainably harvested lumber, reclaimed windows, and even carpeting made by recycled material (more on that later).

And of course, there were many days when the boys came to the site. The garage, newly topped with trusses and sheathing, became the perfect playground for a time. Before the concrete was poured, it was all dirt—and for them, that made it even better. And if 'home is where the heart is', then even this messy, dirty, and crazy building site - which was full of heart - counted as home for the boys.