love this so much. I, too, have struggled with associating home with a place as we have moved a lot in my 43 years. Home is people to me. Home is where we are at the time. And it's why when asked what I think of when I think of an ultimate home, I answer "stability."
I miss you being our neighbor! And love this post at this time. We’ve been in our house a (and all but confirmed we’ll be moving next year) and just did our first big project: painting our kitchen cabinets. I’m slowly putting up wall paper on days when work allows and have some contact paper for the shelves. It’s a process, but a labor of love that has taught me many skills, built up my confidence, and I hope will bring another family some joy. I, too, choose a house with some cosmetic defaults knowing I’d rather be in a home that’s been loved and I’d close enough to come home for lunch than to be in a flashy new development where no one has time to know their neighbors because they have to commute 45 min to work.
"I’ve learned, too, that your heart can be in places your body never was: on aircraft carriers in the middle of vast oceans and at deployment sites far away, in college dorm rooms where your now-grown babies sleep." Ooof. My heart, Joy! What a heart-wrenching line!
Why have I never thought to name our house?? I love the name of yours. Ours has a definite lack of windows, which makes me sad but delights my part-vampire husband who prefers semi-darkness. 😊 I agree that “home is where the heart is” is insufficient; just like church is the people, I feel that home is the people too.
I LOVED THIS. Wow. It spoke to me. I love the name "the sunshine house." I am so deliriously happy that this home has been such a comfort and beautiful place to lay your heads. I love what you said about being content to live in an imperfect home where you feel loved than a image-perfect place where you are despised. I feel that deep in my soul. As you know I am at war with myself with how I feel about where we have lived for the last 11 years, some days I'm overwhelmed by its goodness and other days I want to start over somewhere hundreds of miles away. Thanks for reminding me to take time to love the little things about where I am, right now, and how the Lord has met us here. Your descriptions are so good!!!
This is so lovely, Joy! I love how you have the directions to your house beginning with "here's the..." But that you also have that when describing your actual home. So beautiful 💛
It is your amazing family that brings the most sunshine to any structure you occupy. Yet it is true that each structure seems to have its own character. You have captured and related this one’s character wonderfully.
You're such a good writer Joy! And I love all these beautiful photos.
love this so much. I, too, have struggled with associating home with a place as we have moved a lot in my 43 years. Home is people to me. Home is where we are at the time. And it's why when asked what I think of when I think of an ultimate home, I answer "stability."
I miss you being our neighbor! And love this post at this time. We’ve been in our house a (and all but confirmed we’ll be moving next year) and just did our first big project: painting our kitchen cabinets. I’m slowly putting up wall paper on days when work allows and have some contact paper for the shelves. It’s a process, but a labor of love that has taught me many skills, built up my confidence, and I hope will bring another family some joy. I, too, choose a house with some cosmetic defaults knowing I’d rather be in a home that’s been loved and I’d close enough to come home for lunch than to be in a flashy new development where no one has time to know their neighbors because they have to commute 45 min to work.
"I’ve learned, too, that your heart can be in places your body never was: on aircraft carriers in the middle of vast oceans and at deployment sites far away, in college dorm rooms where your now-grown babies sleep." Ooof. My heart, Joy! What a heart-wrenching line!
Love your expounding on home is where the heart is, totally agree and can relate to.
Why have I never thought to name our house?? I love the name of yours. Ours has a definite lack of windows, which makes me sad but delights my part-vampire husband who prefers semi-darkness. 😊 I agree that “home is where the heart is” is insufficient; just like church is the people, I feel that home is the people too.
I LOVED THIS. Wow. It spoke to me. I love the name "the sunshine house." I am so deliriously happy that this home has been such a comfort and beautiful place to lay your heads. I love what you said about being content to live in an imperfect home where you feel loved than a image-perfect place where you are despised. I feel that deep in my soul. As you know I am at war with myself with how I feel about where we have lived for the last 11 years, some days I'm overwhelmed by its goodness and other days I want to start over somewhere hundreds of miles away. Thanks for reminding me to take time to love the little things about where I am, right now, and how the Lord has met us here. Your descriptions are so good!!!
This is so lovely, Joy! I love how you have the directions to your house beginning with "here's the..." But that you also have that when describing your actual home. So beautiful 💛
It is your amazing family that brings the most sunshine to any structure you occupy. Yet it is true that each structure seems to have its own character. You have captured and related this one’s character wonderfully.