A Month in the Life

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!

Hello! The Hoover family is totally excited about being the resident Bloggers for July in A Month In the Life 2007
Hopefully that will translate into an enjoyable experience for the readers as well.

I suppose introductions are in order. We are Steve and Kristin Hoover from the Show Me State. We have three daughters, Emily Nikole (7), Grace Marie (5), and Alivia Joy (3).

Our home is located just outside the Lake of the Ozarks in ‘Versailles’. Uh…, No! Not the Palace of Versailles (Our fountains aren’t finished yet!).


My Background
I was born in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. My parents bought a farm East of Versailles, MO and we moved in 1970.

Raised a conservative Mennonite, my first language was Pennsylvania Dutch (a German dialect). My family’s primary mode of transportation was, and for many in my family still is, horse and buggy.

We were often thought to be Amish, and did in fact, shared many similarities with them. Those of us who went to public school were always known as “the Amish kids”. Schooling beyond the eighth grade (in a classroom setting) is discouraged by most Old Order Mennonites, though many have continued education via GED courses or on the job training programs.

As a rebellious teenager, I left my home and the Mennonite lifestyle at age 16, but soon came to terms with what it really was that I sought to reject/embrace. I had a rich history and was not at all eager to discard entirely the God of my fathers. My lifestyle did change some, but I gave my heart to the Lord and became a part of the Pentecostal church.

I fell in love and married Kristin (Bentley) Hoover in 1992 (Smart Move!)


Out of this Nettle, Danger, we Pluck this Flower, Safety.
---William Shakespeare
A defining moment in my life was the destruction of the cherished family home in the mid 1980’s. It was apparent that faulty construction of the chimney serving the wood stove, and a chimney fire had ignited the structure inside the wall resulting in a total loss.
When I had opportunity to purchase some chimney sweeping tools shortly thereafter, I recalled the tragedy of the fire and became a “Chimney Sweep”. What started as a part time novelty became a fulltime business. Today, as a self-employed chimney sweep, I service approximately 1000 chimneys, fireplaces and stoves each year. I am certified by the Chimney Safety Institute and the National Fireplace Institute.

I am also an active member of the Versailles City Fire Department and respond to about 200 calls each year as a firefighter and EMT. I thoroughly enjoy being a part of a vital community volunteer group, and pray I can make a difference in some ones’ life for the better.


Wife Swap!
Oh, yeah that!
Our intro on ninetyandnine.com said

Introducing: Wife Swap’s infamous couple

in·fa·mous
ADJECTIVE:

Labels: amish, chimney sweep, lake of the Ozarks, mennonite