Regretfully, some people find it difficult to end abusive relationships. We do, however, know incredible tales of people who, despite all the odds, showed incredible bravery and determination. Allow me to introduce you to Cara Brookins, a mother of four children. Despite her limited financial resources, she made the extraordinary decision to transform her family’s lives.
Cara Brookins sought solace in a unique endeavor after her second marriage ended amicably, leaving her feeling quite worn out and distressed. Despite her lack of building experience, she made the decision to construct her own home. She watched YouTube videos to learn. After selling her Bryant, Arkansas, property, she began searching for a new home for her and her four children. Although there weren’t many reasonably priced possibilities, she was still committed to uniting her family. That’s when she had the grand idea to construct her own house from the ground up, even though she had no idea how it would work precisely.
It seemed like the correct thing to do for us at the time, the woman recalls. “In retrospect, I realize this seems a little strange, but nobody else agreed.
Cara borrowed over $150,000 to build a house on a $20,000 plot of land. She watched YouTube tutorials to learn how to build, and she was able to figure out how to make the foundation, install walls, and set up gas and plumbing. Her children, ages two to seventeen, contributed to the construction of the 3,500-square-foot home for nine months. Her eleven-year-old daughter Jada mixed water from a neighbor’s pond with bulky bags of concrete for the foundation, while her fifteen-year-old son Drew assisted with the planning.
Cara reflects, saying, “Every step felt really hard.” She worked on the house until late at night while her children were in school and then drove them to the construction site, which was around five miles away. There were multiple methods to accomplish the tasks, and the YouTube videos were not always obvious. Cara paid $25 per hour to a part-time firefighter with building experience in order to find out more. She claims, “He knew more than us.”
Cara and her children finally moved into their five-bedroom home, named Inkwell Manor, on March 31, 2009. Cara wanted to be a writer, so that’s why they called it that. Later on, Cara penned numerous books, one of which is a memoir titled “Rise: How a House Built a Family,” which will be released on January 24.
Cara acknowledges, “We felt a bit ashamed that building our own house was the best choice for us,” when she thinks back to the period when they did it. We weren’t really proud of it. However, it proved to be the most influential choice she could have made. She asserts, “If I, a little computer programmer, can build an entire house, anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”
Cara offers straightforward yet profound advise to those going through difficult times: “Select one major objective and adhere to it. Decide on a major goal you want to accomplish, make baby steps toward it, and ask people who are in need of healing to join you. That has a great deal of strength.
Cara and her children are the ones who should tell their incredible story. As they relate their moving tale of bravery and hope, keep an eye out:
Cara’s incredible story, which represents the resiliency of survivors, is proof that even in the face of unfathomable adversity, there is always hope for a better future.
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