Welcome to Lazy J Ranch: The Story of a Dream Home Come True

🎯 The Search That Led Me Here

Have you ever had something fall into your life so perfectly that you almost missed it? That’s what Lazy J Ranch was for me: a quiet surprise that turned into something extraordinary.

I’d been on the hunt for a home for about eight months. I wasn’t sure what I wanted: maybe a lake house, perhaps a downtown loft, maybe some land where I could build my place. I even toyed with the idea of becoming a builder. (The world could use more women builders, right?) I had been praying daily now. This is something I was quite new to, but I was given some encouragement by friends to start doing so. Putting your life in God’s hands. But so far, everything I saw just felt… meh. That is, until my birthday morning in 2021.

💡 Manifesting a Dream (With a She-Shed Bonus)

I had plans to grab breakfast with my dad, but decided to check out a new listing first. I told myself I hoped I wouldn’t like it; the price was higher than what I had planned, although it was still technically doable. But the moment I walked up to the front porch, I got that feeling. You know the one. The “uh oh, I think I love this place” feeling.

It was a 3,000 square foot farmhouse on 5 acres just around the corner from where my grandad’s farm was located from my childhood. There was an enclosed patio, a koi pond with a fountain, a red barn with a single horse stall, and, what really got me, two beautiful willow trees swaying in the breeze. Inside, it had everything I didn’t realize I was holding out for: a formal dining room perfect for my grandfather’s Hoosier cabinet, an airy kitchen with bar seating, a peaceful office space, and even a ballet barre and aerial yoga hook left by the previous owner, who had been a barre instructor. 

But the kicker? The she-shed.

Years ago, when my mom was going through treatment for stage 4 breast cancer, we made over a small shed at her house. We turned it into her little escape — curtains, paint, the works. Some of our best talks happened there. So when I saw the she-shed on this property, it hit hard. My brother saw it and said, “Yeah… this is your house.”

At this point, I was sold, quickly envisioning my future here. As I toured the back of the property, I discovered the 6 horses living in the pasture behind the home. A quiet place in the back, where I could get my horse love, since I hadn’t quite decided to start looking for my own horse. What a dream to have horses that you can see daily.  

🥞 Breakfast with Dad & A Big Decision

After my tour, I met my dad at Neighborhood Jam (his go-to breakfast spot, where everyone knows his name). I told him I might have just found the one. He raised an eyebrow. I showed him the listing. He hesitated, “Looks like a lot of work”, but I knew. I made an offer that same day. After a bit of negotiating, I got it. As I was pulling into my Disco Skate Party for my 38th birthday, I heard the best words ever “Your offer was accepted.” I was the lucky one who beat out multiple offers and landed the dream.

🛏️ Healing at Home

Exactly one year later, on my birthday in 2022, I was in the hospital, on my 39th birthday, having a radical hysterectomy to remove a 3.5 cm tumor. Just two days later, I was back at Lazy J Ranch. And thank God I was. It became the place where I healed. I did yoga here. I worked remotely, ran my real estate business, wandered the yard when my doctor gave me the go-ahead, and learned to birdwatch from the rocking chairs on the patio.

It’s hard to imagine going through cancer, five rounds of chemo, 28 radiation sessions, multiple surgeries, in a tiny apartment, alone. That was my life before this home. COVID had made things even lonelier. I had gone through a tough break-up just months before, moving out of the home we owned together, to start my life over. In this apartment, I sat many days alone, contemplating what was next. If you haven’t had to experience true heartbreak before, I pray you never do. But this particular experience did have its benefits, such as forcing me to sit down with God and talk about what I wanted. Where I was headed. I knew horse ownership was on that list. So I prayed and prayed for him to show me the way. I was there, finally, listening. And now, here I was, surrounded by space, sunshine, and the quiet strength this land seemed to offer me. To fight, to heal, to look forward to what tomorrow brings. It felt like God knew what was coming and gave me a soft place to land.

🐎 New Life, New Routine

Now, three years cancer-free, I’m fully settled in. My horse Clint, a palomino and the four-legged best friend I always dreamed of, lives here with me behind the newly installed white fencing. I’ve expanded the landscaping around the koi pond, built a little dock for fishing in the bass-stocked pond in honor of my late granddad, and keep finding ways to make this place even more special. 

🎉 Lazy J Comes Alive

Lazy J Ranch has become more than just a home. It’s where we’ve hosted Kentucky Derby parties (Clint’s the star, of course), Barbie-themed birthdays, Easter egg hunts, champagne brunches, movie nights under the stars, and even my 20-year high school reunion. It’s a place where laughter carries across the property and guests feel like they can exhale a little more deeply. Truly experience Oklahoma. The sunset from the front patio through the sheer white curtains. The sunrise from the primary bedroom picture window. The warmth from the fire on a fall night. All things forgotten when in the hustle and bustle of the city. 

🌿 The Everyday Magic

The wind rustles the willow branches. Chimes clink gently in the background. Birds chatter. And sometimes, if you lie in the hammock and look up, the stars remind you how lucky you are to be here. On this earth. Find happiness in the little things, and life sure lightens up. Life is beautiful; it can be. And even when times get tough, somehow it all works out for the better, eventually.

💌 Until Next Time…

Thanks for reading about my home, my happy place. I hope you’ll come back soon,  maybe even stop by sometime. And I hope you, too, find solace in your home. Home is where the heart is.

With Love,

Tiffany