Hey there!!!
Thank you so much for being here—I truly mean it when I say: I love you. This community is the absolute best, and that’s not just my opinion—it’s a fact. You’ve been my rock, my safe place, and I’m blown away that some of you have been with me for over 11 years. Can you believe that? Because I still can’t.
Sometimes I still feel like 21-year-old Nicole, walking into the Big Brother house for the very first time—wide-eyed and unsure. Other times, that version of me feels like someone I barely remember. Life has been a beautiful, chaotic journey.
I’m so proud of you, and the growth we’ve made together over the years. I can’t wait to keep deepening this connection—to share, to learn, to grow. My dream is to keep building a space where we can be real, be vulnerable, and lift each other up.
This week brought one of those “life whacks you in the face” moments—we found out we need a new roof, the actual wood is exposed! I got a quote from Joey, our Amish builder (who also did the floor in my store with Victor), and when he said $55,000 for a steel roof, I about fell over. I thought, “He has to be joking.” But after getting more quotes? Turns out Joey is the most affordable by tens of thousands of dollars. One contractor came back with a bid of $64,900—for shingles. SHINGLES!!!
Now we’re in the storm-damage insurance dance. If we go with a contractor who has technology and filing abilities, we might get insurance to help. But what if that means paying double, and giving the job to someone I don’t fully trust? That’s a hard decision because every dollar matters right now. Joey’s honest, hardworking, and building my barn — and my gut says hire Joey. I’ve had bad experiences with contractors filing inflated claims behind my back, and I’m just not going there again.
And yes, I was completely naive — I thought we could get a roof for under $20,000. Cue internal scream. I didn’t realize roofs were this expensive. But even if we have to scale down the barn plans, it’s totally okay. The animals won’t care if their fencing is basic and the windows are secondhand. My heart is so full with excitement about this farm. I’m finally chasing the simple, slow life I’ve been craving for the last 7 years — and I know, deep in my bones, this is exactly where I’m meant to be.
If you decide to subscribe, just know this: you’re literally helping rescue animals that wouldn’t have a home otherwise. Our very first rescue is Chili Lily — a beautiful soul with a hip disability who couldn’t stand at birth. Her owners bottle-fed her until she could walk, but she can’t be bred, and feed costs made it hard to keep her. They didn’t want to butcher her because she’s so sweet —and that’s when I knew: she was meant to be ours. That message came last December, and from that moment on, I started planning. Seeing her now fills me with joy — she’s officially our first rescue.
Midwest Mama will be a little bit of everything — heartfelt, honest, messy, and full of love. Because for me, organized chaos is love. And this? This is my letter to you. See you next week.
I’ve never subscribed to a Substack before. I am so glad you guys are back! You're the only group I don't mind supporting with a subscription, that's how much I enjoy your content. Welcome back! I'm excited to come alongside ya'll in this new venture.