This year we made the decision to sell our house and get into another one. For awhile we had explored moving to Colorado. We took a trip up there over the new year and fell in love. But for many reasons, mostly due to cost of living we knew it wasn't something we could do at this stage of life. One day we will live near the mountains and in a place where we can enjoy the beauty of the four different seasons.
I should say that hormonal pregnant women shouldn't be allowed to make life changing decisions like selling and buying a house. My husband is a saint putting up with it all over this year. We decided to sell our house due to layout issues and the fact that our street had become very busy due to a new construction area. The kids couldn't even enjoy our front yard anymore because it wasn't safe with all of the traffic. Many people assumed that we needed a bigger house due to expecting another little one but it wasn't really about size. I may be in the minority, but I don't want a huge massive house, even if we had the money to do so. I want my children to be comfortable and have space but more square footage in my head means more to clean. More floors to mop or vacuum, more areas to dust, more cleaning to do. We just needed a different house that had a better layout that worked for everyone and a quieter street. We found just that. We had to live in a temporary apartment situation while the new house was being finished. I brought my baby girl home from the hospital to a tiny apartment. We are in our new home now, overwhelmed with moving and unpacking but are so very grateful. With this move though I learned a lot about what makes a house a home. When we were house shopping, sure there were certain things I was looking for. I have watched enough episodes of house hunters to know that I wasn't going to get it all. We walked into our new home and just knew. Also living in a tiny apartment made me much more aware of all the unnecessary crap I bring into our space. Less is more! Packing and unpacking made me think that people who are following a minimalist lifestyle are onto something. Some other things that have crossed my mind about a home...
A house can have a fancy kitchen but isn't about the color of the cabinets or the size of the island... it is about the meals that are cooked, the memories and messes made while trying new recipes, and the food that fills the bellies of the ones you love.
A house isn't about the big bathroom with an extravagant tub.... it is about the giggles and splashes heard at bath time from the little people in your family, its about the comfort of a hot shower when you are aching and exhausted from running around all day...
A house isn't about the fancy flooring... honestly for me its about the way I hear the pitter patter of little feet running down the hall .. and also what is the easiest to clean... and what kind of floor conceals the wet paw prints of our furry family members...
A house isn't about so many of the things that I used to think it was. I remember when we bought our first house and the choices we made back then before we had a house full of kids. We were newly married and younger. Now our home is about the comfort of our individual spots on our worn out sofa. The comfort of a particular blanket that makes nap time so much comfier. The table where little minds learn and create and shovel food into their mouths. The rugs where we sit for family game nights. The ever changing basket of books that my kids know will always be there for them.
I don't know if this is our forever home. I thought our last one was. I am grateful for my awesome new home but I am also grateful for the perspective God has put on my heart. It isn't about the actual home we live in...its about the people that surround me and love me... this little (or not so little anymore) family of mine. <3
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