Her husband used to beat her frequently, so she took her children and ran away from home. She had nowhere to stay and not much money, so she decided to build a house with her own hands. Only her children helped her. All the neighbors laughed at her.

AuthorAvokadoReading3 minViews6.6k.Published by31.03.2024

They say that if life hands you lemons, make lemonade. We all know that this is easier said than done, yet nothing is truly impossible if we set our minds to something and put in a lot of effort to achieve it.

Cara Brookins ended up in a violent marriage. She left her husband, took her kids with her, and started over in a new house since she was a mother of five and understood she had to protect her kids from the toxic environment they were made to live in. How was it accomplished by her? by creating her own construction blueprints and viewing YouTube videos that demonstrated various building skills, such as installing plumbing, running a gas line, laying a foundation, and erecting walls. It sounds amazing, doesn’t it?

Now that she’s thinking about it, she acknowledges that it has been impossible the entire time.

Cara, a computer programmer analyst, came up with the idea to build her family’s new home from the ground up because she couldn’t afford to buy a house big enough for all of her children at the time she started building it in 2007.

Cara described the feeling as being that “if anyone were in our situation, they would do this.” “I know it sounds crazy now, but no one else saw it like this.”

She borrowed about $150,000 for construction and paid $20,000 for an acre of land.

Her children helped build their 3,500-square-foot home; the eldest was only two years old at the time and the youngest was seventeen.

Since there was no running water on the property, her 11-year-old daughter Jada had to use buckets to carry water from the neighbor’s pond. Her son Drew assisted her in creating the plans. After that, she combined it with concrete bags weighing eighty pounds to create the foundation mortar.

The children would visit the site and assist every day after school. This tenacious mother paid $25 per hour to a part-time firefighter with building experience to complete the most difficult tasks. He was “a step ahead of us in terms of knowledge,” she recalled.

The family finally moved into Inkwell Manor on March 31, 2009, which was named in honor of Cara’s aspiration to become a writer.

“We felt ashamed that the only option available to us was to construct our own shelter,” Cara remarked. “We weren’t particularly proud of it, but it ended up being the best thing I could have done for myself.”

“Anything is possible for you if I, a 110-pound computer programmer, can build a whole house,” she exclaimed.

She continued, stating, “Select one goal and stick to it. Choose a big project you’ve always wanted to do, start small, and take the others who also need to recover with you. That has a great deal of power.

This isn’t it one of the most amazing tales you’ve heard recently?

If this family’s tenacity inspires you as much as it does, please SHARE their amazing tale on Facebook with your loved ones!

A Wrestler’s Choice: Sticking to His Beliefs

Making sacrifices for your beliefs and sticking up for what you believe in is admirable. The 18-year-old Colorado native and former high school wrestler Brendan Johnston is all too familiar with this. Brendan made a risky choice in 2018 that essentially put a stop to his high school wrestling career. He declined to compete in two state tournament matches against female opponents, citing personal and religious convictions as his justification.

In recent years, the question of whether it is fair to compete physically between adult males and adult girls has gained more and more attention. Many people think it’s unjust to expect men and women to compete on an equal footing because they are fundamentally different from one other, both biologically and in other ways.

Brendan objected to the thought of going up against Skyview High’s Jaslynn Gallegos in the state tournament’s opening round. He also declined to take part in his consolation match against Valley High’s Angel Rios in the third round as a senior at Colorado Springs’ Classical Academy. An interview with KDVR provided a Christian explanation of Brendan’s choice. He said he felt it was too violent and physically uncomfortable to wrestle with a girl. He added that his background and religious beliefs had influenced how he saw women’s roles and distinctions from men.

It’s critical to remember that Brendan’s choice has repercussions. He finished sixth in the tournament while Jaslynn and Angel finished fourth and fifth, respectively, as a result of not wrestling the two females.

While acknowledging Brendan’s decision, Jaslynn voiced her disappointment at not being able to challenge him. Her gender doesn’t define her ability; she views herself first and foremost as a wrestler. She is aware, nevertheless, that social judgments can still hinder her.

Brendan made a contentious decision that sparked debates and dissenting views. How do you feel about Brendan’s choice not to engage in a wrestling match with a female? We would be delighted to hear your opinions.