My grandparents owned a health food store in Kalispell, MT. I loved the smell of the herbs, spices produce, vitamins, and the earthy, smelling environment it held. I remember wishing and hoping that I would own a store like that one day. I loved all the natural, organic candies, the way fresh ground flour felt and smelled, the gentle packaging of hand made products, and the fact that customers, friends and strangers, came to grandma for nutritional guidance and help. She was so full of wisdom and confidence. People trusted her, and walked away with a wealth of knowledge that she so freely gave.  I remember her making homemade echinacea salve for her dry, weathered skin. How it looked so dark green, creamy, and smelled earthy and just looked so natural, and how she got relief from it. I've always desired to make homemade products, and have always been intrigued with the herbs and plants that God has surrounded us with. 

 Plants and herbs have always been in my blood, but, the outdoor girl in me, had other plans, (or so I thought). 

  Since I was a little, I had always wanted to be a game warden. When I was a little girl, I remembered this particular game warden, at Holter Lake, MT. I admired him, and wanted to be like him. So, I went into Forestry school, to become a game warden. But, deep in my heart, something was always tugging at me, in the back of my mind, of being like my grandma, (or at least heading down that path of vitamins and herbs).  Through much prayer and asking the Lord to show me His will for my life, and not just what I wanted, one night, I woke up, He spoke to me, and it was clear as day, that I was to become a nurse.

  So, I left Forestry, and entered the medical field. It has been quite the journey, many joys and struggles and burn-out. During those years, I always had in the back of my mind, "why didn't I become a nutritionist like grandma?" But, it was never something that was of God. He spoke to me to become a nurse, and so I did. He gifted me. Nursing was natural to me. Though, being on the holistic side, was always pulling at me. 

  It wasn't until my oldest daughter was diagnosed with stage three kidney cancer that I realized why God wanted me to be an RN, first and foremost. I will go more into detail about this story in "Our Cancer Journey" section later. Through her journey, I knew that she needed a strong mamma by her side. She needed me to bring my wisdom, strength, support, hope, prayers, and courage to her bedside. It wasn't until several years later, that I have been able to pursue my holistic goals and dreams. Here I am now, older, wiser, and stronger. I find it rewarding pursuing the holistic ways of living.  I am a Family Herbalist, a Certified Aromatherapist, I'm certified in making butters, balms and salves, and I am a soap maker, with a little soap shop.

  I am keeping true to my roots, as a Montana girl, while trying to live a natural, holistic, sustainable lifestyle, and to be a good steward of the things the Lord had blessed me with. 

  We are modern homesteaders, living a simple life. I am a born and raised Montana girl, who loves Jesus, my family, my country and my state. We live in an old mining town, and we respect the mining history and the ways of life back then. 

  On this website, our posts will be honest, unpolished and in the raw. I am not a fancy, frilly, picture perfect mom or wife. I will be sharing and blogging about some of our Montana life, (camping, fishing, hunting, gardening in the mountains, the long winters, etc), holistic/sustainable living/journey, preparedness, canning/preserving, baking, recipe and DIY shares, Herbalism, Aromatherapy, soap-making, e-books and hacks, our cancer journey, my walk as a Christian woman, my life as a nurse, and homeschooling three girls.

  This website will be a place where I share my knowledge, experiences, develop friendships and will be a place of encouragement and support to other women.

  Welcome to Mountain Girls Homestead.

                Blessings,

                Michelle (Prov. 31:26-27)