Welcome to Unfamiliar Places

There was a time I thought life would look very different than it does now.

I had plans — good ones. Neat ones. Sensible ones. And then God gently (and sometimes not so gently) led us somewhere else entirely.

This space, Unfamiliar Places, was born out of that tension: the space between what I expected and what God actually gave us.

When Life Doesn’t Follow the Map

Our family has walked through places we never planned to visit — fostering and adoption, parenting children with disabilities, homeschooling, and raising a large family that is equal parts joy and chaos. There have been seasons of deep uncertainty, exhaustion, and grief.

And yet…

Right there in the middle of the hard, God kept showing up.

Not always loudly. Not always with answers. But with glimmers of grace — small, holy moments that reminded us we were not abandoned, even when the path felt unfamiliar.

Why This Blog Exists

This blog isn’t about having it all together.

It’s about noticing God in the middle of real life — sticky floors, hard conversations, therapy appointments, sibling squabbles, and the quiet moments at the end of long days.

It’s about faith that shows up tired.

It’s about grace that meets us where we are, not where we thought we’d be.

Our Crew

You’ll often hear stories about our kids here. For their privacy, we don’t use real names, but instead introduce them by the pieces of their hearts we see most clearly.

There’s Stargazer, our deep thinker who asks the big questions.
Bright Fox, who fills our home with laughter and kindness.
Little Oak, steady and gentle in quiet ways.
Wildling, the determined baby who keeps us on our toes.

And our girls:
Golden Reed, dependable and creative.
Peacelion, brave, silly, and full of heart.
Moonpetal, soft and thoughtful.
And Sparkplug, loud, expressive, and unforgettable.

(You can meet them more fully on our Meet the Crew page.)

An Invitation

If you’ve found yourself in a season you didn’t choose —
If your life doesn’t look like you imagined —
If you’re learning to trust God in the middle of the unknown —

You’re welcome here.

My prayer is that this space helps you notice the small ways God is moving in your own unfamiliar places — the quiet mercies, the unexpected joys, the grace that shows up right on time.

We’re walking this road together.

— Sarah