We never wanted to be cabin owners. But when we saw a 100-year-old one-room schoolhouse sitting on the side of a country road on a trailer with a "for sale" sign on it, we couldn't resist. We have lived in and loved old houses since we were married, and my wife's father had just left us "Gramps Woods" near Avon, Minn., when he passed away.
We called and found out the schoolhouse had just been sold. We were disappointed but figured it just wasn't meant to be. We passed through the same town again a year later, and there it was! The sale had fallen through. We bought it and moved it to Gramps Woods.
We have spent the last three years turning the schoolhouse into a wonderful retreat for our family. An unexpected blessing: Our children are learning the value of hard work and the satisfaction of a job well done. Over time, their grumbles have turned into pride in what we've created.
Our schoolhouse is a special place in the forest for us. We're looking forward to more fun and more projects over the years. And I dream of my children telling their children stories about what they built.
Pete Steege, Minneapolis
