so, i finally feel like i've gotten our house settled. we've finally hung pictures on the walls and nearly everything has a place. granted, we're completely out of bookshelf space, but that's how we like it i guess. a wonderful friend said recently that one of his favorite parts of being at our house is being surrounded by books. i like that, too. i guess, though, if you have a book phobia, you probably ought to keep your distance!
also, my mom, grandma, and one of my best friends in the world came to visit over the weekend. it was really wonderful to have them here. we cooked together, explored, participated in camp activities, ate delicious food, and picked berries...mom even went extreme berry picking with us! my friend had been here a couple of times and my mom came once before we were living here full time. so, even those who weren't seeing our house for the first time were seeing it really put together and settled in for the first time.
a day or two before they arrived, i realized how much i wanted them to like our house. it's not that i thought they wouldn't like it. i've just worked pretty hard to find ways to make this place our home, to find our own style for this house and for our life, and to figure out how to put all of that in this space.
in many ways i know i'm preparing for the likelihood that our lives will consist of lots of moves as methodist pastors and probably some parsonages along the way. i know that i have a tendency to look forward or to the past and do not always remember to live in the right now. so, i don't want that to translate into never settling into a place because i know we'll be moving someday. so, i think my nesting here has been a way to prove to myself that we can really feel at home wherever we are...even if our roots and our people are far away.
and, it's worked. i really like our house and i think it feels like home...i look forward to being in it...and it has bits and pieces of our people, our roots, and our histories woven throughout. i feel surrounded by love, support, and good memories when i'm here, even though we haven't had tons of time to make memories here yet. i think andy feels at home here, too. (mostly he's only home these days to sleep, but that's just for summer camp season...i think he'll take full advantage of the couch and our comfortable living room when the summer is over!)
it also turns out that my mom and grandma really liked our house, too. it's not exactly their style, but it is mine and they loved that. of course they did. i guess i knew they would. i made it my own, put myself into it...and they love me a lot, so of course they loved my home that holds my life. it was good to hear them say it, though.
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6 comments:
Isn't it amazing when those "grown-up" moments hit- like the act of enjoying decorating your house and wanting your family to like it?
Hope you and Andy are well.... you may not remember me/us (Mandi & Clint Davis), but we knew you at St. Paul and live in Richmond. So there's 4 St. Paulers in the state, at least :).
if etsy had a lifestyle magazine your house would have my vote for cover story. It is so very you/y'all and very encouraging/comforting to visitors too. Well done. I think you'll be able to make the next 47 places feel just as nice :)
I like being surrounded by books, too :)
I'm so glad you're feeling settled and comfortable and like the house is yours! I am in the process of doing that at my new parsonage and it's nice when things start to come together the way I've visioned them! I would love to see pictures of your house turned home btw!!!
and your mom's pic on the header is AMAZING!
Yay for settling in! Miss you.
I can't wait to be in home-some home-with you again soon. I'm sure so much has been added and created since my last visit a year ago. I too am creating home right now. And it was wonderful to have Ben's help and suggestions to make it even more homey last week. Love you, home-woman.
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