We are now completely different people on a brand new path. We had to dig deep to find the bravery to be ourselves. We had suppressed our souls into the mold of what someone else wanted for so long, too long. Who were we? What did we want now? How did we each want to express our individuality, our new found freedom? Here's the update:
Leaving a cult is difficult in so many ways, but we are definitely BETTER THAN EVER! None of our 7 regret leaving in the least little bit. One of the first things we did as a family was joining a local CrossFit gym. Iron Road CrossFit has been a life line for us! It gave us a new safe space with new friends, something new to learn to put our minds and energy into, somewhere to look forward to going multiple times per week, a healthy outlet for our frustrations, and of course, it has us healthier than we have ever been before!
Nathan's business has continued to thrive. Never did we ever dream it would grow this BIG! Financially, we are great. Our small business supports all 7 of us very comfortably. He works hard but also has full and part time employees now. He can pretty much take off whenever he wants unless it's the weekends during our busy season. He has won so many awards for his artistry in the field of taxidermy that I cannot even begin to name them all. He has moved up from small state shows in the professional division to national shows in the master category. Wish him luck in this weekend's upcoming competition! He absolutely loves his work and all things outdoors!
I am still a stay at home homeschool mom. I created and continue to run the social media side of our business. I am amazed that our small business reaches out so far thanks to today's technology. We really love our flexible schedule that allows us to travel during off seasons. It seems that most Americans are caught up in an endless cycle of work and school schedules, and I do NOT want that life. Don't get me wrong - education is very important but that can be prioritized along with a balance of family, work, and travel. I've never met anyone that regretted how much they have traveled, but I have heard multiple accounts of people at the end of their lives that warn you to not waste the bulk of yours by chasing money for others and to be sure to make time for the things you love. I want to enjoy as much of this world as I can with the people I love the most. As of right now, we have visited 24 states, the US territory of Puerto Rico, the island of the Bahamas, and 2 different parts of the country of Mexico. We just flew back in from NYC, are headed out to two different destinations before the end of June and planning our next steps as we await new passports.
Our oldest, Kaley, is beginning her senior year at Valdosta State University in the fall. She has excelled at both colleges that she has attended. We are so proud of who she is as she has really found her voice and is blazing her own path. As with most cult survivors, she will be the very 1st direct descendant of the Arthur John Padgett family to graduate from college. If she continues on as she has begun, she will graduate with honors and pursue her master's degree in speech and language pathology. She has found her 1st true love in Levi. She juggles school, work, CrossFit, and dating very successfully. We usually see her multiple times per week and almost every weekend. Parents, if you take the time to build a close relationship with your children and emotionally invest in them, it will continue as adults and is the most rewarding experience! Do things they want to do, LISTEN to them, talk openly withOUT judgement or control, and take all. the. trips. It will fuel a lifetime of fun memories to bond over.
Our youngest four are still actively homeschooling, but each enjoy their own unique interests. Marianna, 17, loves all things fashion, horses, competitive archery, and a sweet boy named Nicholas. Raegan, 13, absolutely loves dancing and any opportunity to have her friends over. She is excited for her team's upcoming dance nationals next week. Our boys, Clay and Graham, have tried several sports before landing on jujitsu and competitive archery. We have all loved our new GVHSA homeschool group in Valdosta that we attend weekly. After classes, we get to go out to lunch with our Kaley, so it is a true win, win!
We're still a work in progress as humans always are, but we've come a mighty long way. We have pretty much undergone a complete faith deconstruction over the past five years. We are unpacking, rethinking, and examining our beliefs. We probably always will be. We have read books and talked to multiple therapists and life coaches. We have tapped into our own souls and given ourselves permission to try new things. In the process, we have traded in guilt and shame that was hammered into us and have gladly replaced it with happiness and peace. One thing is certain: we love one another unconditionally. We also know for sure that we want to continually help others and show love and kindness. All in all, we are healing and in a much better place than we've ever been before physically, financially, emotionally, and spiritually!
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