Cara Brookins was left emotionally broken when her second abusive marriage ended. She got well by building her own house, which she did after seeing YouTube videos on how to do it.
The mother of four started looking for a new house in 2007 after being forced to sell the Bryant, Arkansas, home she and her soon-to-be ex shared. At the moment, though, anything the computer programmer analyst could afford was too tiny. Brookins too felt obliged to take action to bring her family back together. She admits, “But I had no idea what that should be.”
Brookins, therefore, came up with the idea to build her own house from the ground up. According to Brookins, 45, “If anyone was in our situation, they wouldn’t do this.” “No one else viewed it this way, and now that I think about it, I understand it sounds crazy.”
One acre of property cost Brookins $20,000, and she obtained a building credit for about $150,000. She then started watching YouTube tutorials to learn how to do things like run a gas line, build a wall, lay a foundation, and install plumbing.
Her children, ages 2 to 17, helped her throughout the nine-month construction of the 3,500-square-foot home. At the time, Drew, who was 15 years old, helped Brookins make the preparations. Jada, who was 11 at the time, transported water from a neighbor’s pond using buckets because there was no running water on the property. She then combined the water with 80-pound sacks of concrete to create the mortar for the foundation.
It felt impossible the entire time, according to Brookins, who worked when the kids were in school. After school, Brookins drove her family to the five-mile-away construction site where she worked late into the night on the new house.
YouTube videos previously were vague and provided numerous solutions to a task. Brookins employed a part-time firefighter with building experience for $25 per hour to help with some of the more challenging tasks. She remembers, “He was a step ahead of us in knowledge.”
On March 31, 2009, Brookins and her kids moved into the five-bedroom home. She gave it the name Inkwell Manor in recognition of her desire to become a writer.
In the years afterwards, Brookins has written numerous middle grade and young adult books. She has also written a biography titled Rise: How a House Built a Family, which will be released on January 24.
Building the house helped Brookins emerge from her depression. We were ashamed that our best option was to construct our own shelter, Brookins adds. “We weren’t really proud of it,” In the end, it proved to be the best thing I could have done for myself.
She says, “You can do anything you set your mind to if I, a 110 pound computer programmer, can build a complete house.” Choose one goal and stay with it. Find the big thing you want to do, move slowly in that direction, and take those who also need healing with you. That has a lot of influence.
My Husband Didn’t Meet Me at the Hospital Discharge with Our Newborn – When I Found Out His Reason, I Went Pale
When Sarah welcomed a bouncing baby boy, she thought it would be the happiest day of her life. But an unexpected betrayal shattered her world, leaving her devastated and alone. She packed her bags and left with their newborn, forcing her husband to confront his priorities.
A few weeks ago, I gave birth to our beautiful baby boy, Luc. It was a tough pregnancy, filled with sleepless nights and constant worry, but it was all worth it the moment I held Luc in my arms.
The plan was simple: my husband, Tom, would pick us up from the hospital and we’d start our new life as a family. I imagined him cradling Luc, his eyes lighting up with joy. That image kept me going through the hardest days.
The day of our discharge arrived, and I was buzzing with anticipation. I had Luc wrapped in a cozy blanket, and every tiny sound he made filled my heart with warmth.
I kept glancing at the clock, each minute dragging longer than the last. Tom was supposed to be here by now. I checked my phone: no missed calls, no messages. My excitement began to twist into anxiety.
The nurse placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call the hospital,” she said softly.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice barely audible as I stepped inside, feeling more alone than ever.
I needed Tom to understand the gravity of what he had done. My heart pounded as I methodically packed a bag for me and Luc. Each item I placed in the suitcase felt like a nail in the coffin of my trust.
Tom truly was a changed man. He stepped up and became the supportive partner and loving father I knew he could be. He never missed an important moment again, whether it was a midnight feeding or a precious first smile. His priorities were in order, and he made sure we knew we were his world.
If you enjoyed this story, check out another dramatic tale: how a husband kicked his pregnant wife out of their home, only to be brought to his knees by her revenge. Click here to read the full story.
Leave a Reply