there is so much to be done before we transition to our home on the farm. all of the packing, cleaning, paperwork, utility switching, uhaul trucks & the list goes on.
there is also so much to be done when we arrive. that little list of what i hope to do to our home before we settle in continues to grow into a several pages & pinterest board list. we need to scrape the popcorn ceilings, paint the kitchen cabinets, pull up the carpet in the bonus room... the list goes on.
simply put- i am guilty. i am guilty of discontentment. this especially rears it's ugly face in regards to our home. i have talked about this topic several times in this space, but i am still noticing a lack of change in heart & mind as we move into our first home. because it is ours - well mostly the bank's but that's another topic for another day- i feel this need to make it "ours" instantly regardless of our financial status.
it will be an initial financial stretch for us when we move onto the farm. as first time home buyers, we should be more concerned about saving for any unforeseen costs. instead, i am more concerned about the small cosmetic changes because i am worried it might just seem like an average house.
the culture that we have created through our pinterest boards, fancy blogs & magazines tells us that each room should reflect our own unique selves while also buying into the idea that our homes must also be updated with each new trend. friends, i do all of the above & more because parts of me believe it will make me happier.
nesting does make me happy. decorating on pennies makes me happy, too. thrifting & going to yard sales makes me really happy. once i start to realize how much time i invest & ultimately idolize this certain part of myself, i am not so happy.
as we make this transition into our new home, i want to be thoughtful with our money. we can wait, we can be wise, we can be thankful for what we do have.
we have so much right now...
love,
natalie
16 comments:
Love this, Natalie.. thanks for the reminder!!!
-Taylor
You're so right! We have a lot to be thankful for. Great post and I love all the goat photos. Keep them coming! xo
I can relate so deeply. Every now and then I lose sight of the abundance in my life and I look around and just see what I don't have, what I want, things I think I need. Sometimes it's hard to be the young broke people we are!
Thanks for the gentle reminder, Natalie. Gratitude is at the heart of abundance.
Excellent post, and so true. For months, I was convinced that our house needed new, energy efficient windows. I was so unhappy with the windows we have. After talking to a couple of contractors, I realized that even the best, most energy efficient windows come with only a 25-year warranty. The windows we have currently have been in our house for over 100 years, and, even though they are drafty and some are in need of a little TLC, they still work beautifully. Not only that, but they look much more pretty than newer windows. I'm so glad I came to these realizations, but it took months of agonizing to get me there. Thank you for reminding us to live in the present and be grateful for what we have!
Justin, my fiance, struggles with this a lot too. I always tell him: a home is a living thing, it is growing and changing all the time. You will never NOT have something to do in your home to make it feel better. The way I look at it is this: if everything were perfect right now and you had no work to do, what would you do to fill your time? I love going garage saleing too, and I'm glad I get to space it out and enjoy it every time I do go. If my house was perfect, what would I drool over on pinterest? Enjoy your new home in ALL of it's stages. It will grow just like you will!
--julie
This is a good thing to remember. I am constantly pursuing MORE, but what I have is pretty awesome too. Gorgeous photos, girl.
SUCH good thoughts, friend! thank you for sharing! encouraged :)
Excelent and very wise!!!Thank you...
Just stumbled across your beautiful blog. You are talented at photography and capturing moments of your life. I just bought a new/old home and am struggling with the same things. I want my "to do" list to be done NOW! But financially and practically, that will only bring stress. Instead, we are taking 1 small project at a time and being grateful that we OWN the place! Looking forward to following your journey.
I just wanted to say that I love your blog and congrats o the farm! :) I know all too well how you are feeling...in Islam we are reminded to look at those that have less than us, not look at those with more than us.when we do that, then will we really be thankful for all that we truly have....some people don't even have a bed to sleep on,some babies don't have food to eat,etc...so always think about those with less and you will always be happy with what you have at the present time. :)
Such important words for me to read right now. We are in a similar situation. New (to us) home with more land than we've ever owned and lots of updating (green shag carpet throughout).
Contentment isn't my strong suit. So glad to have found your blog via Instagram :).
I'm so glad to know that I'm not alone in this. I feel such desire to nest and buy furniture and warm up our space. And I become stressed about not having the financial means to match up with my "idea" of a dream house, instead of focusing on the countless blessings and abundance in our lives. :) Thank you for the warm reminder!
Yes. I try to remember that if I don't appreciate what I already have, then when I find those treasures at the flea markets and thrift shops, I soon won't appreciate them either by the same habit.
We do have so much beauty in our lives. xo
Such true words. I love this "we can wait, we can be wise" often the two are synonymous. I am constantly trying to fill my life with meaningful moments and memories. xo
We moved from the city to a little farm two and a half years ago. I thought we'd have everything "fixed up" within a year. hahahahahaha!!
:) Life happens.
I find it difficult to wait especially when I see so little progress and I can see how good it will be. I long to go to sleep in my bedroom without blue walls and a puce ceiling with white trim and the paint and plaster peeling. Yes.
So, I try to focus on the parts that I can, make the best of what is still so ugly and try to remember to be thankful.
And know that it's all still better, or at least safer, than when we moved in!
Natalie, thank you for this post. I too have just shifted from one farm to another and am also guilty of wanting to make it 'perfect' right away... I'm going to change mindsets and be thankful for our tight finances giving me loooots of time (lol, too much?) to think about nesting! In the meantime I'm going to enjoy the beautiful new farm we have to play with.
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