Friday, May 30, 2014

Roots




Seventeen years ago today Justin and I moved into this lovely place we call home. I remember the day clearly. We picked up the keys from the lawyer's office in the early afternoon, picked up the moving truck and headed back to our apartment to pack up our stuff. I had to work, so I left Justin and my dad to get everything in the truck and I met them at the house later that night.

It was 7:30pm when I arrived, and the first thing I remember is hearing the coyotes howling in the quarry behind our property, it was eerie and exciting. Then I stepped into our home, it was a moment I have never forgotten. It was my dream home, an old schoolhouse, and it really felt like home. It didn't take long to move everything in, we didn't have much, and once it was all in the house we settled in for the night.

The next morning, bright and early, my dad showed up to knock out a wall, we didn't waste any time making this place ours. While my dad and Justin worked, I unpacked, adding my touch here and there. The next week was spent settling in, and painting. The next weekend Justin's parents stopped by, his mom and I worked together in the gardens, and Justin and his dad worked around the house here and there. My first tomatoes were planted that weekend, and some herbs.

As the roots of those first plants took hold, so did our roots, and slowly they have made their way deep into this place we call home. So much of our lives is in this little piece of land. We are connected to it, and even though we thought about leaving a few times, we never did, the pull to stay was just too strong. And so over the last seventeen years we have made memories here, many good memories. There have been gatherings with friends, celebrations with family, quiet times only Justin and I, and eventually Reece joined us, and we welcomed him into the world and into our arms, right here.

This place is home, it has felt that way from the first moment we stepped into it all those years ago, and today, it is still home. A home full of memories, and so much time ahead to make more.

39 comments:

  1. I am almost in tears! Wow your sentiments are truly inspiring and your home emanates so much love. Your properly is gorgeous Kim. I loved that you shared this with us, Thank you.

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    1. There were tears here when I read it to Justin last night. Thank you Nicole. xo

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  2. What a timely post :)
    We're just in the final stages of selling our current home, and purchasing another. It's been quiet a journey, which hopefully will be finalised next week sometime. But, it will be worth it. The house we want to buy, is somewhere my husband and l both loved the moment we stepped foot in it. It's just got that feel about it, and l hope like you, Justin and Reece we put down deep roots at this new house.
    Congratulations on your anniversary xx

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    1. Thank you Chrisy. And congratulations to you, how exciting!!!! It is pretty amazing to step into a place and just know it's the one, isn't it? All the best with the final stages, can't wait to see your new home.

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  3. So many feelings rushing into me right now : joy for you and this incredible dream journey of yours, parallels to our first moments in our home... Such incredible moments and we are still neck deep in making this place our own. I wonder what our little piece of heaven will look like in 17 years?

    Thank you for sharing your memories. Happy anniversary! xo

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    1. Thank you Yanic. It has been an incredible 17 years here and we only hope the next 17 will be as wonderful. xo

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  4. What a beautiful post, Kim! Totally brought me back to the day we bought this sweet old farmhouse of ours! I loved this place the minute I stepped inside (the town, on the other hand, took awhile to grow on me). We've been here ten years now and while we do toy with moving from time to time the only way that would happen is if we found a house that somehow managed to top this one (and I'm not sure that's possible)! Happy house buying anniversary! May the next 17 years be just as wonderful! xo

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    1. Thank you Shel. That is exactly how we feel. Finding something to top the house and the outside space is tough. And in the end, we always find ourselves staying right where we are. xo

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  5. What a beautiful post! I love reading your blog and that you welcome is all into your home. I feel the way about our house...it really is home in all senses of the word. I have lived in houses but this house is home for us. Thank you for sharing your thoughts today! And happy 17 year home anniversary!

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    1. Thank you Jen. It is wonderful to find home, isn't it?

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  6. And what an amazing home it is! :) Congratulations!

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  7. Happy home-iversary, Kim!

    That is so lovely. I have never lived anywhere as long as you've lived in your home. I hope someday I will be able to look back and see that I've settled somewhere, that I have a long stretch of years in one place that I can call home. (I feel sad, sometimes, that this didn't happen before our children were born, so that we would always be in the place that held all their memories, too.) xo

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    1. Thank you Meghann. One day, it will be, for now know the memories are being made and can be taken with you each time you move :) xo

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  8. Wow! Your home is gorgeous, and the pictures speak to how it is truly a home that is well-loved, and well-lived in!

    Congratulations!

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  9. I love your home and your words today Kim!

    Have a beautiful weekend.

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  10. Aww what a lovely story. You have such a beautiful home, one I'm still dreaming of (were renting our beautiful homestead!). When I was a kid we travelled so much, we bounced from country to country and lived in VW buses and old fixer upper homes that I never lived in complete. Ever since I was little I've craved having roots and memories in one place, your truly living the dream!

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    1. Thank you. It is a dream come true in more ways that one, and I feel very blessed.

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  11. Happy anniversary! Love this story. As a person who has had to move around a great deal, I have longed for a place to develop roots. This story is so special and reminds me that roots can be set anywhere you are as long as love and peacefulness are there. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Lovely post. Your house looks darling nestled in the middle of all those great gardens and natural play spaces. It makes me dream of the day when we are finally settled and cozy in our little dream home. It will be here before I know it. Here's to a happy weekend for you and your loved ones!

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    1. Thanks Kathleen. Happy weekend to you too!

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  13. I love that feeling of home and yours is especially lovely. you've stitched so many memories inside and out. We have moved many times in our marriage especially early on and I remember each address and that feeling of "home" and how wonderful and comforting it is :)

    May you always be happy where ever your home may be.

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    1. Thank you Karen.

      "Stitched so many memories inside and out"...I love that :)

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  14. Beautifully written...I feel like I actually visited today!

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    1. Thanks Jodie. You are welcome to visit anytime, just say the word. It is only a 10 hour drive, easily doable for a weekend visit :)

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  15. Beautiful. I can't wait to find the home I want to stay in forever. Our is great, for now, but it is slightly too small inside, much too small outside and a bit too urban for my forever home. But, it still holds some very special memories nonetheless!

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    1. Thanks Taryn. You will find it, and then those roots can reach down deep and spread.

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  16. lovely. Some of these things echo deeply how we feel about our home. When we were looking for a home I kept saying that, 'I wanted a place where I could sink my roots deep, like an oak and not a flower'. Your home is lovely and shines with love. Be well.

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    1. Thank you. Oh that is good, roots deep like an oak...love it!

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  17. This moved me! We are in the process of searching for our forever home. We thought our current home was it but there is something about this place and the location that has us frustrated, tired and fighting (so not us). We are still debating city vs country but for sure no suburbs

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    1. Thank you, that is nice to hear Jennifer. Good luck with your search for your forever home, it will be a fun and exciting journey I bet.

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  18. Having had the pleasure to step foot inside, I can say that being in your home FEELS like home. So beautiful <3 Wishing you a beautiful next year!

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  19. It is a perfectly beautiful little home :-)

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  20. oh my... what a lovely lovely place to call home....17 years makes alot of good memories... thanks for sharing

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    1. Thank you. You are right, lots of good memories :)

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