When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, they say. That means turning bad situations into something good. Cara Brookins was in a bad marriage. She had five kids and needed to get them out of the bad situation. So, she left her husband and decided to build a new home for her family.
Cara had no experience in building, but she didn’t give up. She learned how to build a house by watching videos online and drawing plans herself. She bought a piece of land for $20,000 and got a loan of $150,000 to build the house.
Her kids helped her too. Her oldest son Drew helped with the plans, and her 11-year-old daughter Jada helped by carrying water from a neighbor’s pond to mix with concrete.
Every day after school, the kids went to the building site to help. When they needed extra help, they hired someone part-time. Finally, on March 31, 2009, they moved into their new home, which they named Inkwell Manor.
Cara said she was embarrassed at first to have to build her own house, but it turned out to be the best thing she ever did. She believes that if she, a small computer programmer, could build a house, anyone can achieve their dreams.
Her advice is to set a goal and work towards it step by step. And don’t be afraid to ask for help along the way.
Isn’t this an amazing story of determination and hard work? If you’re inspired by this family’s story, share it with your friends and family on Facebook!
