4.01.2011

Year One.

Today is the one year anniversary for moving into our house.  A year ago today, we moved from a rented townhouse and into our very own home.  That we bought. With our own money. On our own.  The American Dream in living color. The two biggest home improvement jobs that we completed were the gut and renovation of our kitchen, and the the finishing of our basement - a project that added 400 square feet of living space to our cozy little house.

There is still much more we want to do, but have taken a break since the basement was completed just before Christmas.  The bathroom that's in the family room (formerly the basement - it's just too pretty now to be called a basement) needs a face lift and Big Red has removed the tile from the shower...but that's it.  Hopefully this summer, we'll be able to finish it.  Then the next big project will be the main bathroom - another anticipated down to the studs renovation.

Big Red and I visited the Home & Garden show this year, and we began dreaming of what we want to do to the outside of the house. We have visions of double doors opening from the dining room out onto a big beautiful deck.  Beneath the deck will transform into a screened in porch.  Just outside the screened in porch, we'll have paver stones that lead to a circle with a fire pit.  The front of the house will get stacked stone flower beds with low-maintenance foliage and the walkway will be lined with little twinkling solar powered lights.    We'll need a new roof and new windows and while not as fun, per say, they will be necessary improvements.

All we need is money.  Isn't that always the case?  For now we're content and enjoying the fruits of our labor. It's not the house I saw when I closed my eyes and dreamed of it while living in California. But how many things turn out the way we picture them? Big Red was definitely NOT what I pictured when I allowed myself to daydream about the husband I'd someday have.  I thought my Mr. would be tall (check) with dark hair (not even close), he'd wear suits to work (SO not close), be a die-hard romantic (not-so-much), and educated (check - just not in the traditional sense).


Sometimes I wonder if this will be our forever home, or if we might find ourselves somewhere else at a different address years down the line as we grow into a family.  Whatever the case may be, right now, on this day, we're happy right where we are.We've gotten to know the creaks and groans of the wood floors, the way the front door sounds when it opens, the rumble of the furnace as it kicks on, and the way morning light spills in through the picture window. It is comfort and safety, love and warmth.Our little house on a quiet tree-lined street is so much more than just so, it has become our home.  

2 comments:

Gabby said...

Girl, I just love you to pieces. I enjoy your blog immensely. Thanks for being...you :)

ilene. said...

Thanks Gabby! So...someday when I publish my memoir, you'll go out and buy it? :)