Saturday Celebrations: Change in Plans
Thank you Ruth Ayres for providing this space for others to share their celebrations. Please visit her site to read about other celebrations.
My husband and I have spent this week packing up the house we've lived in for 16 years. We built this house with the intention that we would live here forever. Plans change. We don't need this much space for just the two of us. After 9 months, we have a buyer and we'll be moving in 15 days. As I start packing and purging in a new room, I go through bouts of sadness and excitement. We have accumulated so many good memories raising three children here.
Our plan all along was to sell the house and rent for a year, so that we could take our time and find a place that we both loved. Plans change. We gave ourselves one week to look around and agreed that both of us had to absolutely love a place if we were going to consider buying now. I was skeptical that we would find anything, until we walked into a sprawling ranch on an acre of land just 4 miles from where we live now.
It's been empty for 6 months and is in dire need of some TLC. Weeds have taken over the outside, but underneath those weeds is a treasure. I fell in love as soon as I walked into the kitchen that looks out into a hearth room. I've always wanted to have a kitchen with a fireplace nearby. Then I walked outside and saw the possibilities. There are lots of nooks and crannies for gardening, reading and writing, and drinking tea in the early morning. I was smitten! My husband? He fell in love with the garages. Yes, that would be plural. This house has 3 car detached garage and a 2 car attached garage. He's a car guy and has a 1970 Datsun 240Z that he enjoys working on.
Another positive? It needs work. I can make the house mine. The former owners had different taste from me. Some of the updates are a little too fancy for us, but we can live with them for now. I'm excited about getting in there and scraping wallpaper, painting and pulling weeds. I'm excited that my husband and I are starting on a new venture together. We will create new memories in a new place. The future will bring more changes as our children go out and begin their own lives and bring new people into our family.
So, even though I'm sad to say good-bye to our home, I'm looking forward to what the future holds for us. Here's a glimpse of what lies ahead.
My husband and I have spent this week packing up the house we've lived in for 16 years. We built this house with the intention that we would live here forever. Plans change. We don't need this much space for just the two of us. After 9 months, we have a buyer and we'll be moving in 15 days. As I start packing and purging in a new room, I go through bouts of sadness and excitement. We have accumulated so many good memories raising three children here.
Our plan all along was to sell the house and rent for a year, so that we could take our time and find a place that we both loved. Plans change. We gave ourselves one week to look around and agreed that both of us had to absolutely love a place if we were going to consider buying now. I was skeptical that we would find anything, until we walked into a sprawling ranch on an acre of land just 4 miles from where we live now.
It's been empty for 6 months and is in dire need of some TLC. Weeds have taken over the outside, but underneath those weeds is a treasure. I fell in love as soon as I walked into the kitchen that looks out into a hearth room. I've always wanted to have a kitchen with a fireplace nearby. Then I walked outside and saw the possibilities. There are lots of nooks and crannies for gardening, reading and writing, and drinking tea in the early morning. I was smitten! My husband? He fell in love with the garages. Yes, that would be plural. This house has 3 car detached garage and a 2 car attached garage. He's a car guy and has a 1970 Datsun 240Z that he enjoys working on.
Another positive? It needs work. I can make the house mine. The former owners had different taste from me. Some of the updates are a little too fancy for us, but we can live with them for now. I'm excited about getting in there and scraping wallpaper, painting and pulling weeds. I'm excited that my husband and I are starting on a new venture together. We will create new memories in a new place. The future will bring more changes as our children go out and begin their own lives and bring new people into our family.
So, even though I'm sad to say good-bye to our home, I'm looking forward to what the future holds for us. Here's a glimpse of what lies ahead.
 |
 |
| This free photo slideshow made with Smilebox |
Oh Julie, I have to laugh, & I had to go back to re-read, because I thought you were down-sizing. Unless you have a really enormous house now, I'm not sure about the downsizing term. The house is awesome! I can see how you fell in love, but wonder if a big point wasn't that gold course across the street? Or the separate garages-te he! Happy for you that it's working out so beautifully!
ReplyDeleteSorry-argh-the auto correct makes me crazy-I meant golf course!
ReplyDeleteLinda, You're right. It's not much of a downsize. :) We are going from a 2-story to a ranch and from 5 acres to one acre.
ReplyDeleteWell, that is a bit of a downsize. I see now what you mean. It does look beautiful, & I can see what you mean about the changes. Some just doesn't fit together. I love the hardwood floors-lucky to get them!
DeleteContinue to enjoy your new house in a new surrounding-life moves on to celebrate the good things it has to offer.
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought it this would be a sad celebration with leaving your home behind and moving. I was wrong. This is an exciting celebration of a new home and possibilities it brings. "....lots of nooks and crannies for gardening, reading and writing, and drinking tea in the early morning"- sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing the pics. Looking forward to the slide show after you have set everything as you wish.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you!
ReplyDeleteSo glad everything is working out so perfectly!
ReplyDeleteI have not completely tuned in the major shake up you've been going through. Moving is huge, packing and cleaning, unpacking and cleaning. Then the yard! A great new place and so much excitement! Also lots of work. Good luck with all these changes. I hope you have more summer left than I do. We start this week.
ReplyDeleteI'd buy this house just to live outside with all the gorgeous patios and porches and decks and yard and pool! OK and maybe the closets because I live in a hundred year old bungalow with zero closet space! Enjoy making it your own!
ReplyDelete