A New Vision

I've yet to tell the story of how this house became a home.

It looked nothing like it does today when we bought it. It was in great shape, but their was certainly no grand vision presented in that first walk through. But, I saw her potential.

David had to return to work immediately after a week long vacation in Arkansas to retrieve Harbor, Gigi, our dog, and me. He left us every morning after 5:00 a.m. and we were on our own.

I spent two days painting while my mom, thankfully, kept up with Harbor.

We had nothing.

No

dishes, silverware, furniture, internet, computer, dining room table, lamps, chairs , couch, dressers, or a television to watch.

We were waiting on the movers, due to arrive in days.

Thankfully, waiting in Arkansas to close on the Detroit house gave me plenty of time to figure out fabric, paint, and a very loose furniture arrangement plan.

Remember, David made an offer on the house before I ever laid eyes on it in person. I was seriously in the dark for much of the decision making, but thankful I married a man who could handle such a big decision alone.

I was without him in Arkansas trying to prepare sub plans to cover the rest of the year.

In fact the first time I walked into the house, we were days from closing.

And then the movers arrived.

And David was busy tackling big clients and new projects at work.

So, I had to handle it all. All by myself.

The unloading instructions. The decision for where a million boxes were to be placed. The assertion and direction needed to direct a crew. The financial end of paying them.

Telling them to be careful when they scratched the hardwood floors.

Just the week before, I was in a classroom, teaching.

My mom chased Harbor and our dog, and I put on a very brave face.

 I recall feeling so overwhelmed.

At that point in time, I didn't even know our zip code by heart, let alone where the grocery store was.

I hadn't driven by myself alone in our neighborhood, not even once.

It was both a wildly freeing and petrifying experience.

And the house piled high with boxes.

And David kept working and mom kept chasing.

Everything to unpack and organize rested with me.

I didn't eat lunch. I didn't stop. I didn't take breaks. It was insanity.

And Harbor was a typical two year old, looking for something familiar.

We had left my career, our home, our state, our friends, our family.. all in one fell swoop.

The smell of cardboard boxes was a very real reminder that we had done something extraordinary.

Within two days, I had delved an organizational  plan and got to work.

I was determined to have it all done in a  matter of weeks.

 And I did.

But, I still stopped to read books and play. Harbor needed all of our attention.

To know that the entire world wasn't turned upside down- on the contrary, just our house.

And David worked 10 hour days and came home and painted the entire house night after night, sometimes getting only five hours of sleep an evening.

Remind me of that when I get irratated at him from time to time. : )

Thankfully, he had some help.

Good help is hard to come by when you don't know many people in a new state. : )

And within three days, things slowly came out of bubble wrap. Three stories and ten years worth of "stuff."

Aren't the first few days of decorating so very painful?

And with a dining room table, we quit eating on the floor.

My mom was sewing drapes from bolts of fabric I had prebought as fast as the fresh paint was drying.

And Harbor explored tent city, overflowing with mazes, nooks, crannies, and places for losing little race cars.

And David kept painting, giving me the chance to hang curtains and decide on paintings.

My mom was the real hero. A full time babysitter, for both Harbor and the dog.

I was a machine who bulldozed through four bedrooms, a living room, a sitting room, a kitchen, a dining room, a foyer, a craft room, a playroom, a laundry room, a basement.

Kids are so resilient.

In chaos, the familiarity of my mom's cooking, my laughter, David's strong hug, it was as though Harbor had no real idea that anything was out of place. He just kept on. He had us.

And you won't believe it {well, maybe you will..} but in only two weeks, we had the entire house painted, unpacked, and decorated.

In two weeks time, we welcomed house guests from Arkansas and entertained.

Everything was hung, sewn, cleaned, arranged, and ready.

Now, brace yourself, folks.

When we walked into the house together for the first time, this is what we saw.

Now you can see it, too.

The previous homeowners....

The dining room before:

and after:

The fireplace before:

And after:

The dining room before:

And after:

Hold on to your hat...

The living room before:

And after:

The living room into the dining room before:

And after:

The master bedroom before:

And after:

The master bedroom before:

And after:

The master sitting room before:

And after:

The master bedroom before:

And after:

So, if you feel the urge to sell your house because it doesn't look they way you dream...

grab some paint and simply realize that it may not be the bones of your house that need adjusting.

I'm sure your house in and of itself is already fabulous.

Just try a new vision. : )