Paloma Guerrero

Building Lacy Oaks, a love story Paloma Guerrero

In the aftermath of the 2013 Halloween Flood on Onion Creek in Austin, Texas, the author and her husband found themselves facing not only the need to rebuild their home but the imminent loss of their home and community through re-location efforts that were part of City of Austin safety and flood-mitigation programs. To inspire her unwilling husband to consider moving from their home of 20 years, the author created a fantastical dream of a new home so compelling that he eventually let go of what had been to reach for what could be. Planning and dreaming about their new home, Lacy Oaks, became their lifeboat out of despair. Guerrero shares the trauma of the flood and its aftermath, and the thrill and challenges of crafting and manifesting their new beginning. The lessons learned while working their way through the design and construction processes make Building Lacy Oaks, a love story helpful for anyone currently dreaming of, designing, or building a custom home. A "lemons to lemonade" story, belief in the "next right step" leads the Guerreros through what ultimately becomes a journey of grace and gratitude, and the realization that what are most needed to make a dream come true are courage and vision.