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Photographing their farm and capturing it in its many moods became a habit. Many people enjoyed her posts on social media that included those shots, and Mitchell was invited to take photos for a local special event. Accepting the invitation put her creative wheels in motion, and Mitchell saw other ways to contribute to such events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt actually started with the picture side of it, then catering, then that whole broad spectrum of an event. I could cater, take pictures, and bake the cake. But then I realized the older I got, I would have to narrow the scope,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The spectrum narrowed to baking, and Mitchell focused on baked goods offered\u00a0for special occasions and holidays. It gives her what she calls her \u201cegg money.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy grandmother would pick me up from school sometimes, and when she did, I\u2019d ask her if we could go to the store. Mawmaw would always say, \u2018Let me check my egg money,\u2019\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cMawmaw raised chickens and sold eggs, which now would be a goldmine. So what I do is my egg money. It\u2019s what I have extra for Christmas presents, and right now, we\u2019ve got both twins getting married this year, so every penny is going to both weddings. I think about Mawmaw every time somebody pays me to do something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mitchell, who also works for Shelbyville Certified Public Accountant David Brown, sees her life verse (Philippians 4:13) threaded throughout the tapestry of her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She said, \u201cOn the back of my business cards, it says, \u2018I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.\u2019\u201d At the time, I misunderstood that verse. That verse is about contentment with wherever you are in your struggles, highs, or lows. And I think at this point in my life, that\u2019s where I am; I\u2019m content.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n She continued, \u201cI used to have to punch a clock and scramble and do all that stuff because we had little ones.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now I\u2019m still working, sort of punching a clock with David, and content with where I am. I\u2019ve got an opportunity to make truffles or cakes at the same time I\u2019m coming [to Brown\u2019s], and we\u2019re getting our daily work done. I\u2019m still building relationships. The running joke in the office is there\u2019s not one person who walks through that door or calls on the phone that I don\u2019t know or have a connection to.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s contentment that comes from walking with her husband, Tommy, and daughters, Holli, Matti, and A.J., through life\u2019s more challenging seasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe all realize our contentment comes from being all together, all safe and doing the things that make others happy, showing God\u2019s love, and trying to build others up. The first thing I do every morning is look to see what beauty is outside and listen to the crickets and birds. It\u2019s a peace that I seem to have now. And, of course, that flows to the children and Tommy. Holli is engaged to Nick Brown, and Matti will marry Austin Green, the sons we never had. Each of our children is beautiful and strong, and we\u2019re so proud of them,\u201d Mandy said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her plate is always full of something, whether it\u2019s sweets, tax season, or a new calf. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She said, \u201cTommy and I both farm. We\u2019ve got about 100 head of cattle with mamas and babies and the weddings coming up; it\u2019s always a full plate. I laugh and call myself air traffic control for all things Mitchell.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Air traffic control aided by The Old Red Barn \u2014 life is good. GN <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" DRIVING THE gentle, rolling hills of southwest Bedford County, nature will stop you in your tracks if your spirit is open to its invitation to slow down. Nestled within these hills is the old red barn. Standing like a sentry over the family raised in her midst, she is the quiet gatekeeper of the humans […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":15653,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC_4767-1024x683.jpg\")
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