Today I took time to reflect and count my blessings. Looking back on a story often reveals how far we’ve come, and hearing others’ stories of patience in creating a home can be comforting. At this time of year, when houses look festive and put together, it’s easy to forget that many took years and faced countless challenges to get that way.
I thought I’d share my “waiting for my dream house” story. It’s a six-year snapshot of a longer journey, beginning in 2008. If you’ve followed The Inspired Room, you might remember parts of this, but I’ll retell it anyway.
At the end of 2008, after a stressful year of unemployment and uncertainty, my husband and I packed up and left our house in Portland right after Christmas. We drove into a literal blizzard toward a rental three hours away in a city where we knew no one. My eight-year-old cried through the drive as cars spun out on the highway; turning back wasn’t an option. That drive felt symbolic: moving toward the unknown is scary, but sometimes necessary.
Our Portland house went on the market in January 2009. We were essentially broke and had relocated to start a new church, three hours from family and friends. We were grateful for the opportunity, but the move was still hard. We left a city we loved and our teenage daughter behind to finish her senior year with grandparents—a difficult season for everyone.
The following year was challenging. Our Portland house took over nine months to sell. In our rental we kept only a few pieces of furniture and left the rest for staging. Because our lease was short-term, we didn’t make changes to the rental (swine-pink walls and all). Being a home blogger and not being able to update my own home was frustrating, but many of you know what it’s like to be in limbo.
We were paying the mortgage on the Portland house while living in the rental and trying to keep both lives afloat. A month before our church opened I had emergency surgery, which added to the financial strain. We simply worked hard to keep our heads above water and to move forward.
Starting a church was a labor of love and patience, and blogging at the same time didn’t pay much back then. Many of those years felt like unpaid work—rewarding in spirit, but tight on the budget. There were setbacks along the way, as there are in every life.
In October 2009 our Portland house finally sold, and we were able to buy the rental home. We almost walked away because it wasn’t our favorite—close to choosing another place—but ultimately it felt easier to buy and stay. We preferred older homes but decided a newer house made sense for our season of life. It wasn’t a dream house at the start, but it was a practical choice and offered the chance to make it our own.
We didn’t have much money or time for updates in those early years; church responsibilities and bills came first. Still, we improved what we could and waited for better opportunities. Over five years in that house—our longest stay in any home during our marriage—we made steady changes, project by project, learning to love the house more with each improvement.
One year ago, almost four years after moving in, we completed a long-awaited kitchen remodel. It was a meaningful milestone because of the years it took to reach it. The remodel has been a real blessing, even if in the grand scheme it’s a modest update. For us it marked the payoff of patience and steady work.
Bit by bit, over the years, we’ve made this house into a home. Some projects were large, many were small; each one fit the time and budget we had. The process was slow but intentional, and it helped us grow more content with what we have.
This journey taught me to find contentment in the seasons of waiting and to embrace the imperfect road. I’m excited to start a new year in this house, knowing it’s not perfect and we still have projects ahead, but appreciating it as our home. How long we’ll stay is uncertain, but for now we’re enjoying the season and the progress we’ve made.
Right after Christmas I’ll round up the projects we completed this year and maybe even share a big before-and-after of the whole house. Life will continue to have twists, and the journey will go on, but for now I’m content to sit by the fire, breathe, and enjoy this season. It took a long six years to get here, and I’m grateful for the journey.
Thanks for coming along with me in this long journey of creating a home.
I hope you are finding contentment in the season you are in.