as if there wasn't enough going on

It’s been a lot. There has been a lot of celebrating to do, lots of work to be done, a little more work to be done, lots of people to see, several places to go, and I’ve had much more to just think about. Doesn’t life just explode on you sometimes? I’m referring to 2011. It’s just been a busy year. And as if there wasn’t enough going on, we bought a house!

Lots of you know this has been a deep, heart desire for me. I love home – I mean the idea of home. I love the permanence, the stable place to “go back to”, the comfort of its familiarity, the way it is woven into your identity. I felt all these things for a house in South Dakota for twenty years. In college, I gradually began to think of a different city and state as home, although the house I grew up continued to be that place for a while. Then my parents moved last summer. I knew they were planning to move a full year before it happened, and it was still difficult. I was somewhat transplanted to Nebraska, but I lived in temporary places here. A dorm room. My sorority. A few apartments. The duplex. All places I stayed, but they were full of temporariness. This place has much, much less of that, and I am so thankful.
I’ve learned a lot about how I don’t need a house. Not having what you want has a way of teaching you how to be without it. And now having a home stirs up intense feelings of my unworthiness of having good things. I don’t deserve to live in a nice house. Our house is a crazy blessing to us, and I want it to somehow bless other people right along with David and I.

Without further ado, here is the much requested photo tour. Welcome!

Living Room



Master Bedroom



Guest Bedroom



Upstairs Hallway (between all 3 bedrooms, upstairs bath, and a linen closet)

Office


Upstairs Bathroom


Going back down to main level

View of Dining Room from Living Room

From Kitchen, looking back out past Dining Room

View of Dining Room from Kitchen

Kitchen Side Door

Kitchen

Basement



Basement Bathroom

Backyard

No, the treehouse isn’t ours. 🙂 But the swing is!



We’re excited to make this place ours. My creativity wants to just let loose and cover this place. Even though everything looks pretty good already, we have a whole list of things we hope to do eventually. We’re happy little first time homeowners, and feeling very overwhelmed, and very grateful. We will also be very grateful of anyone who wants to share their homeowner knowledge with a couple of newbies. Hopefully we don’t wreck the place!

JR