{We're Staying in Our House}

{The really short version}
A couple of months ago our Realtor sent a delightful interior designer to our home to prep it for staging. (Remember we were thinking of moving?) I knew in the very back of my mind that there was a possibility that I'd love her suggestions and want to stay in the house longer. And that my friends is exactly what happened. She helped us fall in love with a space we already loved.

 {Much longer version}
Our eyes were opened anew to what our place looked like. And it looked like a lot of busy people lived here. One of which may have a schizophrenic decorating disorder. 
(My words, not the designer's)
Have you ever heard the saying,"Love every piece you decorate with, but don't decorate with every piece you love." Well, I'm the latter. If you know me, you know I've always got A LOT to say, and I'm not always sure how to say it. Well, that annoying charming characteristic correlates with my decorating style: I have a lot of styles I love, but I'm never sure how to decorate with them. Prior to the designer's visit, my "style" was a fun house mirror of sorts. I can't wait for you to see it now. All of our landscape was overgrown and parts were empty because whatever was there originally died. We were so accustomed to it that we didn't notice. She suggested an exercise for us: Get in your car and drive away and then come back pretending that it's not your house and that you are a guest arriving at a party or wedding.

What do you see first?

Where do your eyes land?

What does your house smell like?

What do you hear?
Our home is a reflection of who we are as a family. The good, the bad, the ugly. 4 people currently live in our home. Add family and friends during the week/weekends and it’s full. The common life for us is full of good times, singing songs, Netflix, food, games, laughter and cookie baking. As we've been unpacking all the boxes we packed up last Winter, our goal is to give thought on what we want on the walls, the floors, the ceilings and the land. What says faith and family, hope, love and life? 

In Deuteronomy 6 God instructs the Israelites:

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."

God gives them several instructions on what to do with these words and says this in verse 9:

"You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

At the very least, when a person comes to our home, I think they should be able to immediately sense that followers of the LORD live here, that they love Him, they love each other, and they love others.

We plan to do this in outward signs with the pieces that we put on our walls. Create photo displays of family and friends and the love we share. Views from our windows can direct the eye to the beauty of God’s world outdoors. Then change that view with our landscape design using God’s trees, bushes, and flowers.

Each choice I make has an impact on me and my home. My choices are a message to my children and to all who enter our home. The common things of the home that represent our family and who we are fall to the home decorator and the home keeper.

{::Back to the point::}


We're staying!
If God wants us to move someday, we'll move--but for now we're not getting His green light. As we enter into a new season in the same residence, we're re-styling His light, that shines through our home.


Why the blog hiatus?
We've been living and loving in the real. Raising our adorable girls and spending free time sprucing the place up. I want our home to be a reflection of who I am right now in life and that life is full of experiences and events with my loved ones, while taking care of my stuff treasures--albeit material treasures, but hey. It's fun working together towards a fun and beautiful new season. We are tackling the interior first and I can't wait to show you our small, but mighty changes.