Home.

I think I've written a bit in the past about what "home" means to me. Came across this sweet little graphic and just had to post. Yes, home is a place but more than that, it's a feeling. Comfort. Safety. Family. Memories. When I was small, we moved constantly. We weren't allowed to really decorate walls ~ they had to stay white or cream, as within months, my dad would find the next "best house" and we'd be packing up again. He was a realtor and I can understand the lure of seeing so many houses and knowing that we could gain equity by constantly moving up. What I hated was not feeling like our houses were ever really comfy, or safe, or "home." I longed for roots, to grow up on a street where we had constant friendships. Or the feelling of security. Changing schools at least every year, if not twice in a year was not fun. How do you make connections if moving is just around the corner? Finally, we built a house when I was about 16 and I lived there until we were married at 22. My parents sold that house 2 years later ~ but it was the longest time they were ever in a home for a long spell. The walls stayed white but in time, my mom did start to hang pictures and even wallpapered (wow!) the dining room, though it was only 1 wall. She loved that house and I know it was hard when they sold, moved to a condo and then a few years later moved out to the coast. There was a string of homes there too, until they finally found their "dream home" and lived there until my dad became ill and they moved back here to be close to family until his death. Mom stayed in the condo until she moved into assisted living where she's been for the last 6 years. Her final home but one that is beautiful and homey. We hung up pictures and made her unit so cozy.

When we were first married, we bought our first place and did own it for 4 years. In that time, a friend lived with for 2 years in our lower level, we welcomed 2 babies and started fostering. So we needed more space and found a sweet house that had a garage and beautiful garden. The original owners had built it about 6 years before we moved in, and we maintained it for 2 years, making it our own with fresh paint and adding to the garden. We hung pictures, created new memories and settled in to the neighborhood. But we started to hear stories about the school system in the big City and truly wanted the best education we could have for our kids. My dad helped us find a newly renovated but classic home just down the street from an amazing elementary school in a little hamlet, next to the big City. The best of both. Small home town feel but the amenities just a short drive away. We were there for years BUT we had a house fire 6 months after living there and our kids really struggled with the trauma. It also didn't have a garage and our plans to build a garage were thwarted by a neighbor who proteested that the sunlight streaming in to her front window would be restricted. So after 2 years of trying to get of the "fire family" status and the nasty neighbor, we were out for a drive one day and came across a sign for an open house in a neighborhood we had always loved but never thought we'd be able to live in. And as we pulled up, we realized it was a house my dad had taken us to see before we were married ~ a classic 2 storey with attached garage, 4 bedrooms upstairs, main floor sunken family room with fire place, main floor laundry, huge living room with bow window that covered the whole wall and french doors, and across the hall, a separate dining room, also with french doors. And a full basement that was mostly finished. It had a quiet back yard, amazing neighbors and down the street from 4 different parks and a park. No stores or businesses, so traffic was just families coming and going. Freshly painted with brand new floors, we jumped at the chance when we found out the price. Our "fire house" had increased dramatically because it was basically brand new inside, so the equity made this long ago dream come true. We thought we'd be there for a few years and then move on as the kids got older but in reality, we owned this house for 26 years. It was hard to let go of it when we built our dream home in the woods, but the family that bought it were just as thrilled as we were all those years ago. Now we're in the forest, in a cottage I can't imagine ever leaving but know that one day, the upkeep of country living will get to be too much. It will be so hard to move in to town with neighbor so close but many by then, we'll be okay with it. For now, we cherish our quiet, our privacy, our new home and all the joy it's brought to our lives. It is a place, but for the first time in my life, this spot, this building, this time feels like home, like love, like security, like heaven. I hope we can keep this feeling for the remainder of our days, with sunshine streaming through windows,  a landscape that changes 4 times a year and keeps us in awe, neighbors down the lane and magical moments with wildlife that share the forest with us. Feeling blessed to be here doesn't quite describe my thoughts perfectly. But it's pretty close. Heaven on Earth!

Are you living where you want to be?

Is it home or just a place to be?

~ Chy