We’re feeling a bit sentimental around here lately.
Because one year ago last week, we moved in. I think our memories will always be sprinkled with feelings of gratefulness and chaos and fun around Halloween. Two days before the big trick-or-treat holiday, we finally finished painting, passed our last inspection, and took no less than probably twenty trips across town in between storage units and an apartment. We were moving in. There was finally, no stopping us.
Moving is a funny thing. It’s like trying to manage and then place puzzle pieces back, all while resisting the urge to go on a total rampage and burn said puzzle pieces {like, why do we have three can openers?!} and start all over again.
I’ll never forget that first morning, waking up in our new house… it was better than actual Christmas morning. We awoke in a sea of happy chaos. The kids wore their bedheads all day, while the dogs lolled about lazily, quite amazed that they could finally come inside again. And I did what I’d always pictured: inhaled deeply the smell of a {newly renovated by us} house and padded around in my pajamas, sipping on warm coffee, taking it all in.
There’s nothing quite like padding around in your pajamas with coffee in a new house.
It’s the little things.
So we’re a year in. We celebrated our first home-aversary last week, and we’ve learned over the years that a house can teach us so many things. I’m talking more than just the color of your walls. We’d waited about three years for that morning to actually come to fruition, and we’re talking life lessons. We relocated our family and business, and decided to build our lives here.
In one year, we’ve spent hours around our back yard pool building relationships with sweet new friends, in the kitchen with deep conversations and laughter, and at the table with school projects and meaningful family time. With bedtime pile-ons and tickle wars and hard talks. We’re slowly building memories here. Just like before. It’s the new chapter.
So happy home-adversary: a few lessons we’ve learned in one year.
1. Take the Leap.
We’ve shared it before and we’ll share it again, we didn’t know if we were going to make it. Changing your life’s trajectory, is kind of a big deal. Changing it along with your entire career in a business move, kind of makes it a double whammy. Diving into the entire thing with a complete and total rehab of a house, is triple. Like, in those hard moments, really make you question your life choices and judgement, triple. #whatwerewethinking
Because money doesn’t grow on trees, it was all a risk. This house, though, was almost like a metaphor for that moment in our life. Things were unsure. The house had been left uninhabited for a while. There were roof issues, the pool was black and then there was the whole discovery of a hidden potty underground in the back yard. We almost walked away.
When we were just married, we kind of bought into the “American Dream” lie. It was before the real estate crash and things were hunkey dorey with everyone. We dove in head first, so naturally the next step was a mortgage and a dog and a matching family and a picket fence. When in reality, we probably should have skipped the wedding, taken some cash, and moved to Hawaii for a year to be waiters.
We live with no regrets, so really, no regrets. But sometimes it can be hard not to look back and wonder… I think we all have our own version of Hawaii in our lives. That ideal what-if.
Last year’s entire transition, and then transforming this house, was when we looked at each other and knew that it was Us vs. The World. We put on our battle armor and screamed ‘FOR NARNIA’ or something else with war paint starring lots of people with bows and arrows and horses and battle where they all probably die. Yes, I am being dramatic but this was it. Even though there were so many unsure moments, we knew we should just do it anyway. Because we’d rather lose and recover and learn from it, than wonder forever with a list of what-ifs. This was our Hawaii. Our mid-life crisis version. We were finally making a change, and this was right for us.
So, if it feels right, take the leap. There are no guarantees, and we’d rather live life knowing we lived it to our fullest. If we could visit ourselves four years ago when we were planning this move, one year in after actually living in this house, we’d tell ourselves to do it all over again.
Take the leap.
2. Patience Really is a Virtue
Waiting. It may be my biggest life struggle.
I worry too much. I wish I knew what was going to happen next. Things have to line up on my grand scheme of things life plans list, with my perfect color coded planner and all things road maps to life.
Who missed the memo? Can life not line up perfectly with my timeline?!
Yeah, I know. I’m not as important as I apparently think I am. See above point: Why moving to Hawaii would have been a nice exercise. See point no. 2. Where I am now discussing patience, instead.
This house with its codes and inspection and #$&%*@# septic tank has taught us a lot about patience. We have learned so much in this entire process. About trying so hard, and struggling to get to that next point, when really… things have a way of working themselves out. Despite my own personal timeline and wishes.
Despite my perpetual impatience.
Maybe I should take a deep a deep breath and just roll with it.
Because worrying never really changed anything. And it certainly never helps.
3. Embrace Where You Are.
I spoke a little about life wishes, and patience. So this is the point where I talk about embracing where you are.
Maybe we had moisture issues in the basement, and the back porch needs to be completely ripped off and redone, along with the siding, and the drywall downstairs… And and and… it keeps going. Just like life itself.
There is always that list. And maybe just maybe, life still goes on.
This too shall pass. So we may as well enjoy the ride while we’re on it. And embrace where we are.
Because really, this whole life thing is slipping by a little too quickly for my taste. #Imputtingbricksonmykidsheadsalreadytomakethemstopgrowing
And just like the process of rehabbing a house and living in it one year later… I really don’t want to miss the actual living part.
It can be easy to be sucked into the every day of things, without enjoying every day.
One year of living here after taking on this rehab has already instilled so many life lessons.
Rehabbing this house a little bit Mr. Miyagi style, I thought it was about that second coat of paint, but it really was about learning a few deeper lessons instead.
We can’t wait to see what else is in store.
What are some things you’ve learned from your house in the grand scheme of things and all life metaphors? What is something you’ve learned in the waiting season of life? We’d love to hear what you have to say.
Have an inspired day!
Sheri says
Great points. I am currently taking a leap myself. I am a 51 year old divorced mother of two, I have met the man of my dreams and I a taking the leap to move to another city and start fresh Some day’s I doubt our decision, but I am not getting any younger. Do I know what is going to happen, no, but what if something really fantastic happens, I want that. One thing I learned from my divorce is to not wait, take that chance you don’t want to be 90 and have all these regrets floating around in your head of what you missed out on.
ashley @ the handmade home says
Good for you, Sheri! Take that leap. I couldn’t agree more. ;}
Cheryl says
These are so great and so very very true. Thank you for sharing your heart!