If you live in a house long enough, it becomes your home and an important part of your family. Almost thirty years ago when we had a new baby and realized our apartment had an issue with lead paint, we decided to look for a house. The realtor steered us towards dead end streets, cul-de-sacs, and quiet neighborhoods because she said that safety was important with a young family. I read a book about buying houses which instructed us to buy the worst house in the nicest neighborhood, and I drove up and down the streets near the school where I worked thinking that it would be good to have a short commute to work each day.
Eventually I drove by a white house with a pumpkin on the front steps. It looked like no one lived there and it was only a mile from the school where I worked. I inquired about the house, and found out it was listed at about thirty thousand more than what we could pay, yet I remembered reading in the book that sometimes empty houses meant that people were eager to sell, and if they were people with extra dollars, sometimes they would lower the price. So we gave it a shot, and what do you know the people were eager to sell and they did lower the price.
The house wasn't was my dream house with regard to style, but it was a great house. Right after we closed, my husband and I sat in the empty living room and simply couldn't believe we had a house. Later my family helped us move in, and life in this neighborhood and home began. Our boys grew up here, and we've hosted many a family gathering here too. There are aspects of this house that I simply love such as the fact that it is nestled at the back of the street on an incline surrounded by gardens, trees, and a river about an 1/8 of mile back. It's usually very quiet here, and now as I write, I can hear the birds chirping, feel the sun's warmth, and see all shades of greens, reds, and purples as the grass, bushes, trees, and flowers bloom. When all the boys were home, the house was a bit crowded, but now that they live elsewhere or here for only a few months--the house is perfectly spacious with plenty of spaces to relax, watch a movie, read a book, cook dinner, and entertain.
It wasn't the ideal home for children because of the lack of good in-out-flow, this may sound silly, but I really like homes where the yard seems as much of the house as the house itself. The fact that our porch stands high from the ground, makes the flow to the yard a bit dangerous for children. In the front yard, there's better flow, but not as good as homes that have a meandering front porch. I can't complain, however, since it is a wonderful home to live in, the kind of place where you can welcome others and think and create with inspiration.
As I watch my parents live out their years in their home, a home they've had for 55 years, I wonder if this will be our forever house or if we'll move to a place with more amenities in walking distance, amenities like a coffee shop, library, park, and doctors' offices. I'm not a big fan of cars, so to be in walking distance of many amenities is appealing to me. Also, thinking about myself as a grandmother someday--I'd like a home that has a better in-out-flow for grandchildren, a place where they can easily go outside safely, and a place where I can entertain them safely and engagingly. As I write this, I realize that I suspect we will move in time.
For now, however, as our youngest finishes his years at college, and we continue to work, we'll remain here and enjoy all this home has to offer. There's lots of conservation land around which makes for good walking. There's ample space to plant should we want to have a garden, and there's good space for entertaining too. I'll keep our home simple. We'll get rid of the unnecessary items, and do some virtual home shopping for the next place we'll move to--a simple place and warm home for that next chapter in life. Onward.