It seems to me everything starts with a story. So…
It was early spring, we were reading the paper and having Saturday morning coffee (our favorite coffee of the week. I guess, just because it’s on Saturday, ah).
Well, an Open House ad caught my eye.
HISTORIC FARMHOUSE FOR SALE BY OWNER, AS IS.
Huh? That sounds fun! “Hey, let’s go check it out”.
Being a bit more realistic than me, my husband reluctantly but surprisingly agreed.
Just then I got this feeling. Do you know that feeling?
It’s the feeling like something big is about to happen, the kind of big that will change your life.
That was the feeling.
I was so excited that I made sure we arrived half an hour early.
Thankfully the owners graciously welcomed us in and showed us around.
Maybe a normal person would have politely complimented them, then got the heck out of there.
But not me, I tend to not be very normal.
Instead, I saw a dream unfolding before my eyes.
This is it, I thought, this is what I have always wanted, even longed for in a home.
Yes, it was a fixer upper alright, but I saw the rest of our lives playing out right there,
under that old oak tree and under that hundred year old frame holding up
(barely)
the roof of that old house.
I could picture our boys running around in the almond orchard that surrounded the property and could see how we all might join in on projects together to really make this house our own unique home.
I pinched Rod (my husband) right then and there and whispered, “Pleeeeease, I want this house!”
I had always dreamed of living in the country.
While growing up, my family visited my grandparents’ ranch as we traveled over the river and through the woods, so to speak, as often as we could.
I’m sure my country living dreams started there.
But this wasn’t a dream,
this was real because my husband saw the same vision too!
That my friend was fourteen years ago.
Whew! Time sure does fly by when you’re having fun.
Since then the shade of paint that we’ve put on our home (or lipstick on the pig as my husband likes to call it),
has changed many times.
We’ve been through so many projects, crafts, family feasts, graduations, and even weddings, sigh.
It has been an adventure for sure where lots of memories have been made.
Picture of our house in 1912
Picture of our house in 1930
But, that was then and this is now.
(aw, the title of the movie of our first date)
There are so many more stories to tell and new memories to create.