By Stephanie Linehan
I am not a good cook by any means. But I can make a great brandy slush, homemade lasagna, and cheesy potatoes and ham casserole. I prefer hearty, nostalgic meals. And I have to work hard to get a decent amount of vegetables in my day. I do enjoy baking and I’d like to believe I’m somewhat decent at it. My go-to’s are scotcharoo bars, peanut butter cookies, and Chex mix. I did not inherit the sewing/quilting/knitting/crocheting gene from my mom but my sister Kenzie did. I also don’t think of myself as a DIYer. But for some reason, within our marriage most especially, everything has been … made from scratch.
When my husband, John, and I first started dating he owned a roofing company with a high school friend that later evolved more into home-building. It was during this time that we bought a lot in a new development and built our first home. Moved in just in time for our wedding. A few years later, our son was born, the recession hit, and the home building dissolved. Wanting to start a lawn care company of his own instead, John worked part time setting headstones for a local company by day while caring for his residential and commercial lawn care accounts in the early evenings. Within a few years, Linehan Outdoor Services was on its feet. I continued to teach and our daughter was born.
We were in such a great neighborhood for the kids. Sidewalks connecting all the streets - especially the one down the road to grandpa and grandma’s house. Stroller and wagon rides turned into scooters and bikes. The kids were growing up and John’s business was growing. We kept lawn mowers in the garage and trailers in the driveway. We needed more space.
We found a beautiful spot just two miles out of town. A flat lot on a river road. With potential for a shed. We lived with my in-laws while we, too, built this house as well. Ground up. From scratch. The kids got to witness firsthand their parents - alongside faithful, competent sub-contractors - working on their dream. Long hours, long days, and weekends. Every little bit until it was complete and we could move in.
Careers, house projects, and busy kids, we needed to put a spotlight on our marriage. We needed to stop and make it a priority again. In some ways our life got so far removed from each other, this too felt like we had to rebuild and reconnect. Nothing we weren’t used to, however. Afterall, hard work from the ground up - usually pretty physical work, too - was all we knew. We were - and stayed - committed.
Lawn care grew and so did John’s curiosity and learning. He was drawn to concrete-raising. A service not too common in this area. Out of this new dream came his new business, ALL Concrete Raising. The A.L.L. representing our kids’ initials. John was modeling for us to go after your dreams.
I have been the realist for the majority of our marriage. John has been the dreamer. I was a daughter, sister, and friend turned teacher, wife, and mom. I was starting to yearn for more myself and wanting to make some changes to go after my own dreams. My heart was slowly starting to lead me out of the classroom and into a role I was hoping would bring more freedom and creativity. I, too, wanted to start my own company. From the ground up. Made from scratch.
This is how Promote the Positive and the Perfectly Imperfect (P3i) came to be. I became a dreamer.
John and I continue to set goals for ourselves and show our kids that hard work and determination help make dreams come true.
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