Letting Go
This Summer, two of my favorite home décor bloggers announced they were moving. Melissa from The Inspired Room is already settling into her new home in Seattle, and Ashley from The Handmade Home still has her house on the market.
Reading that they were moving made my heart sink. I had been so inspired by their homemaking journeys and honestly didn’t want to see them leave the houses I associated them with. (Ashley’s kitchen was one of the inspirations for my own kitchen makeover!)
{Ashley’s Kitchen at the Handmade Home}
You can imagine, then, how I’ve agonized over how and when to spill the beans announce that we are moving, too.
We are.
I wanted to wait until I knew exactly when and where we were going so I could give you a tidy little story to process.
But, alas, sometimes life doesn’t unfold in neat and tidy little packages…
***
We’ve lived in 6 different houses during the 25 years we’ve been married. They included a 6 bedroom, 3 bathroom house in the country (when it was just the 2 of us!) and an apartment with the world’s smallest kitchen (I kid, of course) and a laundry room 2 floors below.
If I could choose which one was my favorite, I’d say they all were. Each had its positive features, and I look back at them with fond memories.
I was also acutely aware that each of those houses was not my own and I constantly needed to hold them in an open hand. Yes, I wanted to make them feel like “home” to us, but I poured my heart into them knowing the investment was done not for “resale” but for our own joy of living.
So, now I face a bizarre dilemma as a home décor blogger.
I find it a bit hard to know what to blog about when I’m in the process of telling my house goodbye! I’m no longer doing little renovation projects or fixing up this or that. I do, however, want to leave the place in good shape for the next family who lives here. So, we’re purging and organizing and cleaning…
Letting go.
So we can say hello.
We’re really looking forward to saying hello: wherever that will be.
Although the process of saying goodbye to a home and place of ministry you’ve lived for 23 years is painful, we’re looking ahead with hope.
We’ve known since June that we would be moving within the next year, and we’re so grateful for the chance to have a little time to process this transition in our lives.
We’re continuing to live in our home while my husband is currently in a consultative role at the camp, and we’re looking to see where God wants us to go next. {If you’re the praying sort, please pray for us!}
For now, I’m enjoying working part time at the jewelry store (until Christmas), KonMarieing our house (which, by the way is so fun even if you’re not going to move!), and am trying to work on some projects to fill up the Etsy shop before Christmas. (I figured it could maybe be our moving truck fund!:))
Thank you for joining me on my homemaking journey. When I know the next chapter of our story, I’ll be so excited to let you know!!:)
PS. For those of you who haven’t been reading this blog from the beginning, here are the links to all the before and after rooms pictured above:
Small Bathroom Makeover Reveal
Oh Rita! Bitter/sweet news for your family (and selfishly your readers). I hope you will be able to continue blogging. I love your voice in writing!
I have followed you since near the beginning (found you when you wrote the “31 Days” posts preparing for a Christmas Craft Sale). My husband is a pastor and we have moved 11 times in 25 years (including one overseas move/back). We had just moved back to Canada after living in Kyiv, Ukraine for 4 years and we moved to a rural area north-west of Ottawa. During my “down” days during my transition/finding a job your writing/blogging inspired me and your home has been an “inspiration” to my home.
We know the One that directs your path…I will will be praying for you and your family over the next few months. Keep us (readers) in the loop.
Hugs, Heather
Beautifully written Rita.
I love reading your thoughts and sharing in your life through this blog. We are praying for you and fully trusting that God will continue to direct your steps. May He grant you peace and joy even in the shadow of anxiety and trepidation.
We are thinking about you guys so much and wondering and waiting with you with our prayers…
Will be praying for you and your family, too, Rita! Hope you keep up your blogging! I have loved following your posts and am so inspired by your outlook and your creativity! Hugs!
It is the saddest news for me as a blog reader! I really enjoyed all your posts and hope you will keep on blogging. I pray that God will lead you & your husband where you are needed.
My heart sank, as I have so enjoyed getting to ‘know’ your home thru this blog. But, hey, you can start again in a new place and show us before and after pics! We have had 13 homes in 4 countries in almost 30 yrs of marriage, so I can relate to the whole moving/settling in/tired-of-decisions stages.