Looking Back and Moving Forward

 Forrester Farm turned 20 in 2020. 

It seems odd to even say that. What started out as a desire to grow flowers to share with others has become a wonderful business filled with blooms and amazing clients.

As I looked through so many photos of weddings, events and social gatherings that we have been a part of thru the many years, I am just so thankful.

Seeing the smiles and photos full of joy is simply priceless!~

Whether we are creating flowers for big weddings and events or small bridal or baby showers, each event is special.  In the years that we delivered our bouquets to Whole Foods and Pulp & Stem and participated at local art fairs, farmer's markets and even our own Garden Room events, it was always so enjoyable. We have grown, changed and evolved though it all and I'm thankful for each of those experiences.  I'm especially thankful for the fabulous people (couples, clients & customers) who made it all so much sweeter. 

Cheers to 2021 and a new decade for Forrester Farm!~

(many more photos available to view on our Forrester Farm facebook page)

Savoring Sweet, Sweet Summer

I always want to squeeze the most that I can out of summer!~ Anyone else?

Our summer seemed to really start in July this year. We had decided at the first of the year that ready or not, we were going to host our youngest daughter's graduation party in our "church reclaim" project at the end of June. The building wasn't as ready as I would have liked it to be, but the party was fun regardless. With guests, food and a fun, albeit imperfect, environment, celebrating our daughter with those that we love was the best!~ Work in progress photo below...

July & August were filled with floral work and as many lake, outdoor music & vintage/antiquing excursions as possible!~ 

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Big lake, little lake. Both so very different. We have a couple favorite lake locations that we love to hang out at as often as we possibly can.

 Weddings, Pulp & Stem bouquet deliveries and a fun 2 day floral workshop, kept us blooming busy all summer long. I don't think I'll ever tire of working with flowers! It's a beautiful thing.

 Vintage/Antique Flea Markets always seem to inspire me. Checkpoint 19 Antiques had a booth at a couple of our favorite places this summer. The Allegan Antiques Market and The Found Cottage Mercantile Market. Both so much fun to attend. 

My mind will wrap around the changing of the season soon, though everything in me says that I'm not ready for summer to end. Sometimes we need huge reminders to be thankful in all things!~

 We were able to attend a great music event up north this past weekend. The Accidentals were just one of the great bands that played at the Minnehaha Brewhaha. My 10 year old nephew agreed that the best song of the night was Michigan and Again where...

Thanks for visiting here.
Cheers to a great fall season!~ 

I fell in love... twice. Finally Part 4!

a continuation of: Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3

I knew that I had yet another opportunity to place an offer on the most amazing farmhouse and barn. A property of 10 acres and an overgrown orchard just waiting to be pruned.

Oh my excitement that Christmas!  

As I created and wrapped gifts for the season, I planned which window the Christmas tree would be placed in front of at the farm house. 

 and how I would change the interior surrounding that window.

 I planned how I would decorate the beautiful double porch.

I planned on purchasing a million white twinkle lights when they were on clearance so that the amazing barn beams would add a magical ambiance to any event it hosted. 

I planned as I had once before. We had gone down this road once before. I was excited about this second opportunity, but somewhere between our first offer almost 2 years prior and the one that I knew would be coming up, my perspective had somehow shifted.

Oh believe me, I still wanted to own this property. To see amazing things take place here. To see my grandchildren one day use their scooters on the driveway the same way that my girls had when we were first looking at the place.

In the spring of 2013 we placed an offer once again.  An offer based on what we were told the couple needed for their home. An offer based on many conversations with the owner. An offer that was prayed over and submitted - not just to the owners but to the God who, we know, holds our lives in His hands.  This time around we weren't told to sharpen our pencils, but our offer was countered. Countered at a price much higher than we were told was needed. Countered at a price, considering all that would need to be repaired on the home, we weren't willing to pay.  The owners and ourselves could not agree on a price and ....we had to let this one go.

It was an interesting turn of events and not one that I had planned for, but I had personally gone through a journey.  A journey of the heart.  A journey I hadn't planned on. A journey that has a better ending.

How can one describe the change of ones heart. The faithfulness of a Father, a creator, a holder of all things in His hands. The place that I had found, the most perfect (in my mind) farmhouse and barn, I thought would host so many love stories. Our own family's love story. Countless brides & groom's love stories. Friends and extended families love stories. The "plan" didn't go as I thought it would. The plan in my heart and mind had (through a long journey) been submitted to the one who holds my heart. The one who created my heart. The one who tenderly redirected my heart in such a way that I can't describe. The farmhouse and barn that I had fallen in love with had truly played a role in a much bigger love story. The love story of a midwestern girl and a great big God. The love story of my heart and the creator of my heart. It is a story that words cannot describe. 

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I fell in love... twice!  Epilogue

 

I no longer look for properties that could be eventual event locations.  I had been directed to "turn my heart towards home" and many great stories in our home and with our family have happened since.  I absolutely love working with all of the brides, grooms and families that I have been blessed to provide beautiful flowers to and I hope to be a part of many more love stories through the years.  Through the journey I just revealed and through many since, my heart was changed and I no longer have the desire to host entire events.

On a side note: There was another location that I had seen online in the midst of this journey that I just shared. It was a property that I had dismissed. Tony and I had looked at the photos, but the barn was too small. It just didn't grab our attention. After our journey with our farmhouse and barn was complete, I had heard about a new event place opening.  It was at this location that we had chosen not to even walk through. It is now a beautiful event space that I have been blessed to provide flowers to for the sweetest couples and their beautiful events.  Though I've not told them, I often pray for the owners. (Because I know how much energy can go into weddings and I know how much energy can go into raising kids - especially teens. They and I are doing both and so I pray :).) I will admit, I went through some questioning with God as to how I could have missed it. Why I seemed to have even been "blinded" to this location and it's potential. God firmly responded, "it's not what I have for you".  And I completely trust Him!