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Chapter 26: Building their dream

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Updated Mar 21, 2026 • ~7 min read

Honeymoon is a week in the backcountry.

No resort. No beach. No luxury.

Just them. Tent. Mountains.

Perfect.


They hike deep into wilderness.

Five miles from nearest road.

Complete isolation.

The way Beck likes it.

The way Iris has learned to love it.

“This is our honeymoon?” she teases.

“Too rustic?”

“It’s perfect. Very us.”

“Exactly.”


Days are simple.

Hiking. Fishing. Existing.

No schedule. No obligations.

Just presence.

Together.

“I could do this forever,” Iris says.

“Living in a tent?”

“Being with you. Like this. Simple. Real.”

“We can have both. Cabin and simplicity. Best of everything.”

“When does construction start?”

“Next week. Ready to build our dream home?”

“So ready.”


They make love under stars.

Multiple times.

Celebrating.

Freedom. Love. Future.

All of it.

This honeymoon is perfect.

Not because it’s fancy.

Because it’s them.

Authentically.


Week ends too fast.

They hike back to civilization.

To real life.

To building.

Together.


Construction starts Monday.

Ground broken on their property.

Behind Margaret’s cabin.

Their new home rising.

Foundation poured. Framing begins.

Beck works alongside the crew.

He knows construction. Can’t resist helping.

Iris brings lunch. Takes photos. Documents the process.

Content her followers love.

Building our dream home! From literal ground up. Can’t wait to share the journey.

Engagement is massive.

People invested in their story.

Their love.

Their building.

All of it.


September is consumed by construction.

Foundation. Framing. Walls rising.

Their dream taking shape.

Iris watches it happen.

Awed.

This is theirs.

Built together.

Intentionally.

“It’s really happening,” she tells Beck.

“It is. Our forever home.”

“Think we’ll be happy here?”

“We’re happy now. The cabin just makes it official.”

True.

The home isn’t the cabin.

It’s them.

The cabin is just shelter.

For the life they’re building.


October brings walls. Roof. Windows.

Structure complete.

Inside still raw.

But the shape is there.

Their dream visible.

Beck and Iris walk through.

Imagining.

“Kitchen here. Living room there. Bedroom upstairs.”

“Office in the corner. Workshop for you.”

“Guest room for Skye.”

“Nursery eventually.”

They both pause at that.

Nursery.

Future. Family. Life.

Not yet.

But someday.

Soon.


“Are you ready?” Iris asks. “For kids?”

“Getting there. You?”

“Same. Scared. But excited. Want to wait until the cabin’s done. Settled into married life. Then… maybe.”

“That gives us six months. Ish.”

“Is that enough time?”

“To prepare for parenthood? Never. But we’ll figure it out. Like everything else.”

He’s right.

They always do.


November is finishing work.

Drywall. Paint. Flooring.

Making it beautiful.

Iris chooses colors.

Soft. Warm. Inviting.

Montana palette.

Earth tones. Natural woods. Light.

Beck approves everything.

“You have great taste.”

“I know what I like. Simple. Functional. Beautiful.”

“Like you.”

“Smooth.”

“I try.”


December, they move in.

Furniture arranged. Kitchen stocked. Home.

Their home.

Not Margaret’s. Not Beck’s old cabin.

Theirs.

Built together. Chosen together.

Forever home.

They stand in the living room.

Looking around.

“We did it,” Iris says.

“We did.”

“It’s perfect.”

“It’s ours.”

That’s what makes it perfect.


First night in the new cabin.

They christen every room.

Kitchen. Living room. Office.

Bedroom especially.

Claiming space.

Making it home.

Through love. Through presence.

Through choosing it.


Christmas in the new cabin.

First holiday.

Iris decorates.

Simple. Tasteful. Montana Christmas.

Beck’s family visits.

For the first time as married couple.

In their new home.

His mom cries.

“This is beautiful. You built something amazing.”

“We did. Together.”

“That’s how it should be. Partnership. Building. Choosing. You’re doing it right.”


New Year’s Eve.

One year since they first celebrated together.

So much has changed.

Engaged then. Married now.

Cabins then. Built home now.

Future uncertain then. Future planned now.

“Last year, we were figuring things out,” Beck says.

“This year, we’re living them.”

“Better?”

“Infinitely.”

They toast.

To the year behind. The year ahead.

To building. Choosing. Loving.

Always.


January brings career developments.

Iris’s content work is thriving.

Following doubled. Income steady.

Brand partnerships multiplying.

She’s a Montana lifestyle influencer.

Authentic. Real. Relatable.

People love it.

And she loves creating it.

No performance.

Just life.

Shared.


Beck launches his guide service.

Wilderness survival courses.

Backcountry safety training.

Avalanche awareness.

Using his expertise.

Helping people.

Giving back.

First course sells out immediately.

“You’re going to be busy,” Iris observes.

“Good. I love this work. Teaching. Leading. Keeping people safe.”

“It suits you.”

“It does. Feels right. Like everything else lately.”


Community center work is fulfilling.

Iris handles social media. Event planning. Communications.

Ten hours weekly.

Perfect balance with content creation.

She’s embedded.

Part of the fabric.

Contributing.

Mattering.

Home.

Completely.


February, they talk seriously about kids.

“I think I’m ready,” Iris says.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. We’re settled. Stable. Happy. Why wait?”

“No reason. Let’s do it.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that. We’ve been planning. Preparing. Talking. Time to act.”

She’s nervous. Excited. Ready.

“Okay. Let’s start trying.”

“Starting now?”

“Why not?”

He kisses her.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Future father of my children.”

“Future mother of my children.”


Spring arrives.

First spring in the new cabin.

Everything blooming.

Garden planted. Larger this year.

Beck builds raised beds.

Iris plants vegetables. Herbs. Flowers.

Creating.

Together.

Life. Literally.


April, Iris misses her period.

Tests.

Positive.

She’s pregnant.

Holy shit.

She’s pregnant.


Telling Beck is surreal.

She plans something cute.

Then abandons it.

Just walks up to him.

In the workshop.

“I’m pregnant.”

He drops his tool.

“What?”

“Pregnant. We’re having a baby.”

His face transforms.

Shock. Joy. Terror. Love.

All at once.

“We’re having a baby.”

“We are.”

He picks her up.

Spins her.

Kissing her.

“We’re having a baby!”

They’re laughing. Crying. Holding each other.

This is real.

They’re building a family.

Literally.


They tell Beck’s parents first.

Video call.

“We have news.”

“You’re pregnant!” his mom guesses immediately.

“How did you—”

“Mother’s intuition. And the glow. You’re glowing.”

Iris is crying.

Happy tears.

“We’re so happy for you!” his dad says.

“Due date?”

“December. Christmas baby.”

“Perfect. Absolutely perfect.”


Skye screams when they tell her.

Literally screams.

“I’m going to be an aunt!”

“Technically not—”

“Chosen aunt. Best aunt. I’m buying all the baby clothes.”

“You don’t have to—”

“Too late. Already shopping.”

Iris laughs.

This is family.

Chosen. Real. Perfect.


Announcing publicly is simple.

Photo of the cabin.

Caption: Our family is growing. Baby Garrett arriving December. Building our dream life continues.

Response is overwhelming.

Followers are invested.

They’ve watched the journey.

Inheritance. Love. Marriage. Home.

Now family.

Complete story.

Real life.

Shared authentically.


Pregnancy is hard.

Morning sickness. Exhaustion. Discomfort.

But Beck is perfect.

Attentive. Supportive. Present.

He cooks when she can’t.

Handles chores when she’s tired.

Holds her when she’s overwhelmed.

Partner.

Truly.


Summer, they prepare nursery.

Painting. Furniture assembling. Decorating.

Montana-themed.

Animals. Mountains. Nature.

Simple. Perfect.

Their child’s first home.

In the cabin they built.

The life they chose.

Full circle.


Iris’s belly grows.

Undeniable.

Real.

There’s a person in there.

Their person.

Half her. Half Beck.

All theirs.

The miracle isn’t lost on her.


August, one year anniversary.

Married one year.

So much has happened.

Built cabin. Grew careers. Got pregnant.

All of it.

They celebrate simply.

Dinner on the porch.

Watching sunset.

“Best year of my life,” Iris says.

“Mine too. And next year will be better.”

“With a baby?”

“With our family. Complete.”

She kisses him.

“I love our life.”

“I love you.”

“Both. I love both.”


Fall arrives.

Iris is huge.

Uncomfortable. Ready.

December feels far away.

But also approaching fast.

Beck finishes baby prep.

Car seat installed. Hospital bag packed. Contingency plans made.

Ready.

As they’ll ever be.


October, she feels movement.

Kicks. Flutters. Life.

“Beck, feel this.”

His hand on her belly.

Baby kicks.

His face.

Pure wonder.

“That’s our kid.”

“That’s our kid.”

They sit there.

Feeling movement.

Presence.

Life they created.

Together.

Miracle.

Completely.


November, they’re ready.

Nursery complete. Supplies gathered. Names chosen.

Boy: James. After Margaret (her middle name).

Girl: Anna. Honoring Beck’s past.

Either way, loved.

Completely.


Waiting.

That’s all that’s left.

Waiting for their person.

Their family.

Their future.

To arrive.

And complete what they built.

Together.

Intentionally.

Perfectly.

Home.

Family.

Love.

All of it.

Coming.

Soon.

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