Blessings in (a big, ugly) disguise -- First dates and second chances -- New directions -- Something old, something new -- The honeymoon's over -- Opening up -- White picket fences -- One door closes -- Down to our roots -- Chipping in -- Flipping out -- Home-less -- Getting to the bottom -- Surviving or thriving -- Heeding the call -- The bloom.

Sometimes the messiest stuff and the biggest mistakes can take you someplace wonderful. With the help of their hit TV show, Fixer Upper, the husband and wife team of Chip and Joanna Gaines have transformed the seemingly everyday work of renovating homes and flipping houses in Waco, Texas, into something much more. With their fun personalities, good humor, strong love of family, and unique design style, they've managed to capture the hearts of Americans from all walks of life. It all happened so quickly, their ever-multiplying fan base has been left to wonder: Who are these people? Where did they come from? What's the secret to their success? And should I pack up and move to Waco, too? From the very first renovation project they ever tackled together to the project that nearly cost them everything, The Magnolia Story offers a peek behind the curtain of who Chip and Joanna are today. This first book also includes stories and photos from the childhood memories that shaped them and the twists and turns that led them to the life they currently share: on the farm with their four kids and countless farm animals, and in their ever-expanding roles as entrepreneurs, designers, and good neighbors.