Like Molasses It all started back in 2013 when Sexton's husband and mother passed away within months of each other. Afterward, Sexton felt as if she was moving through life slowly without any direction or purpose. "Everybody thought I was fine, but inside, I was just like molasses," she said in reflection. Then one day her cousin, Darlene Morken, who often comes to stay at the house, planted the seeds of what was to become a yearslong renovation that would help Sexton heal from the inside of her home out. A Full-On Renovation People who have endured loss sometimes find themselves taking on big projects, but Sexton's renovation started out small and just kept growing. What simply began with a new coat of paint turned into new flooring, new trim and new doors on the main floor. Eventually, it became a full-on renovation. A Dining Room All Along Sexton and her husband first moved into their home in 1975. They then built an addition in the late 70s, which included the kitchen and family room. However, when Morken looked at the then-family room, she saw potential. Sexton shared the story of how her cousin encouraged Sexton to change her plans to whip the family room into shape. "She stopped right here [in the middle of the family room] and said, 'This is where your table belongs,' and my jaw just dropped. I said, 'You mean, I don't have a family room? I have a dining room? I had no idea that this was the house's dining room,'" Sexton laughed. Be There In An Hour Although she resides in Climax Minnesota, Morken was there for Sexton every step of the way throughout the renovation. "'I'll be there in an hour,' is what she usually would say," Sexton smiled. The rest of her family was supportive too. This included Morken's sister Dorothy and Sexton's children, Brady and Heather. Even the grandchildren got involved, whether that meant picking up a paintbrush or just being there to help. Sexton also received help from companies in West Fargo, Fargo and Moorhead. Decisions, Decisions When it comes to renovations, lots of decisions have to be made. After a while, it can become tiring. "Decision-wise, I had to look at everything," Sexton said. One of her priorities was that she wanted to be as environmentally friendly as possible while staying within her
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