This post is in partnership with Kathy Davis, an artist, author and lifestyle brand.
HHello, friends! A year ago, before we moved here, we pictured a room just like this. We imagined a welcoming space where friends and family could stay to explore the city or simply catch up. More than a guest room, this space represents why a guest room matters to our family.
It was more than eight years ago when our family’s story took an unexpected turn.
2009
In 2009, after a difficult year of unemployment and uncertainty, my husband’s job ended and we made a big change. We moved from Portland, Oregon, with our son Luke, to Washington so my husband could start a new church. Our daughters were older—Courtney finishing her senior year of high school and Kylee newly married and in college—while Luke was a little boy in second grade.
The move landed us on a peninsula in the Puget Sound area, about three hours from Portland and our extended family. It fulfilled my husband’s dream and brought new opportunities, but it came with sacrifices and hard adjustments for all of us.
One of the toughest parts was realizing our three children would no longer live in the same city. The distance from our youngest son was especially painful. Within six months, our daughters made a decision that surprised and humbled me: they chose to move to Seattle—changing colleges, jobs, and leaving friends and routines—so they could be closer to Luke and to us.
Living in Seattle meant they were about an hour and a half away, but for years they came across the water every weekend—often by ferry—to spend time with Luke and attend church. Their commitment and sacrifice strengthened our family bonds. I’m grateful for their selflessness and devotion.
As the years passed and our children graduated and started careers, life became busier. Courtney began working with me full time at The Inspired Room two years ago, which helped bridge some distance in our work life, but being separated by cities still made collaboration and family life harder.
When Luke neared the end of middle school, we began to sense a new season was approaching. With only a few years left before he would head to college, we prayed and considered how best to shape our family life. Ultimately we decided to move closer to our children.
Ten months ago we moved across the water to Seattle. Leaving our previous home and the life we had built was not easy, but being closer to our kids has been worth it. The move has made everyday life simpler: what used to take an hour and a half is now a ten-minute drive. We can have spontaneous dinners, work side by side, help each other on a moment’s notice, and enjoy more sibling time—watching movies, going to church, and spending time with the dogs.
Life brings unexpected changes, and while we can’t always control what happens, we can choose how we respond. Change has given us the chance to refine how we want to live and to create a life we love in the season we’re in. This guest room is part of that effort: a comfortable, welcoming place that helps draw our family together.
We’re looking forward to more family adventures this summer and have already enjoyed hosting relatives from Portland in this bright guest room. For us, the room is more than decor and bedding; it’s a bridge between where we came from and where we are—a reminder to pursue relationships, savor the journey, and follow dreams. Though we left our hometown, this guest room will always be open to the people we love.
The Kathy Davis brand believes everyone has a right to “Create a Life They Love.” Through expressive painting and hand-lettered messages, Kathy Davis products—from greeting cards and gifts to home and fashion items—encourage connection and joy.
How are you creating a life you love? I’d love to hear your story in the comments!