I wanted to write about something that was on my heart tonight, so I am. Since returning back to work full-time after having my daughter four months ago my heart has been changed, forever. (This is not what you think this is… So just keep reading, I promise.)  In the past 120 days, my best friend lost her mother due to a brain aneurism, another very good friend’s father has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, another friend has been diagnosed with breast cancer and a colleague at work was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma this past week. What is happening? I’m not sure why God allows certain things to happen in this world; but I am sure of one thing. He hates it. He hates sin, suffering and brokenness and these friends and their families have been touched by all three of these. It breaks my heart to know that this is a part of their story and all I can do is offer my prayers and condolences. It just doesn’t feel like enough. On the other hand, it fills my heart with joy knowing that I have a precious life before me that God entrusted I care for during her time on this Earth. Why me? How did I get so lucky and when will my time run out? I find myself waiting for the goodness to unravel. This is why every day, every moment and every connection we make in this world matters. Hence, from this point forward, my perspective on life has forever changed.

As I mowed the grass this morning, I watched my neighbor meticulously wash and wax his new Porsche in the driveway. You could tell he was truly passionate about it… The careful direction he sprayed the power washer, the way dried ‘her’ off with a “special cloth” and waxed every single curve and detail in fancy fashion… I kept asking myself, what’s the point? I mean, I realize that this is one amazing form of transportation, but really, does this really matter? What if we put applied this much passion and energy into our relationships. What if others are so touched by our acts of selfless generosity and grace that they passed it onto others without hesitation? Isn’t that what we are called to do, especially in today’s culture? We live in a world of instant gratification where self-centeredness is king. When in reality our well has run dry of compassion, grace and self-love. We can do better. It’s not a choice; it’s a direction. We must do better. Our children are watching us and picking up on our every action. They see us looking at the phone because they think it must be pretty important… I mean, mom and dad look at that more than me. Or, the countless times we ladies complain about our bodies. What? My arms are a little flabby… Thank God you’ve given me two arms to wrap around my baby at night. Oh and my thighs are a little bigger this week… Thank God for Him giving me legs strong enough to bend down to pick up my precious one when she cries. Because one day, they won’t be and it’ll be too late. I pray my mind and heart continue to be transformed through spending time with Him. My prayer is that one day my children look at my life and see that I’ve loved Him first, and from that I was able to inspire others to live a better life and ultimately be a better human being leading others to do what is right.

So my goal: Stop setting my sights on tomorrow because today is today.  And that ‘s all we’re guaranteed in this moment.  And most importantly, love those that are hard to love (including myself), forgive those that are hard to forgive and extend grace to those that need to be graced… Because in the end, we’re all searching for the things that lay the foundation of a healthy heart and life; everlasting love, acceptance and a place to call HOME.

These days my heart seeks simplicity like it never has before… As I drive through the winding roads of northern Indiana and admire God’s beautiful work hand painted with His grace, I’m reminded of the desires that lie buried deep within my soul.  Very rarely do I ever get the chance to take inventory of my life and be still long enough to give thanks for the blessings I’ve been given.  It’s in these moments I find the greatest joy because the noise of the world is stripped away.  There’s something so beautifully raw about nature that it never fails to inspire me to find a place for its presence within my home. Which brings me to my next design inspiration ❤

When my husband Ben and I chose this property to build our home, we were conscious to preserve as many trees as possible within our site.  However, not all trees made the cut.  So, as I stood back and took a look at the broken limbs and trees I began to wonder…  How could I take this wood and recycle it within my home?  When we began to lift the heavy logs and move them into the brush pile that’s when I came across one tree that had been cut with years of aging that made a heart-shaped design within.  I’ve always dreamed of building my own home and I swore when the day finally came I would pour my heart and soul into it.   In the meantime, Ben and I had prayed that He would lead us where one day we would raise a family of our own.  When I saw this I knew it was an answer from God.  Before the foundation had been laid, my heart was invested in this moment.  It’s one of those days that I’ll never forget.  And that’s when I knew this piece of nature would forever be a part of our story. 

Now for the dirty work… I wish I could say patience was part of my genetic makeup, but it’s not.  So, I went home and chucked this log on to Ben’s miter box to saw this puppy  into 1/4″ slivers; for which I then, would seal in mineral oil to create coasters for our home.  But not before a phone call to my husband to find out exactly what I was getting myself into.  I had never used this saw before and I wan’t afraid to learn how… on my own.  My husband knows by now that there’s no amount of bartering or bargaining to stop me from doing something once I set my mind to it.  And thus, after two trips to Lowe’s for the right mineral oil and three hours later, my design piece was complete!  Moral of the story: Follow your heart and never stop looking for opportunities to channel inspiration.  It’s not a house that makes a home.  It’s our heart and soul that we pour within the four walls that make it our own.  Welcome HOME.

Looking at this picture above makes me want to rewind the days of summer, pull out an adirondack chair and stop time for just a moment to soak in this gorgeous view.  The only thing I would add to this photo is my very own pitcher of strawberry basil margaritas and a group of girlfriends to enjoy the sunset with on this luscious landscape.  I actually just tried this recipe this weekend for the first time and it was ahhhh-mazing! I’ll share that recipe with you all under my farm fresh recipes as soon as I publish this post.  It was a hit! And, a staple at any party I’ll throw in the future.  Drinking LOTS of margaritas is really the only thing that makes you feel good when you make that decision to stop “dairy-farming” within the walls of  your own home to feed your child…  Oh yes, it just got real. 😉

Now, before we roll our sleeves up and get really dirty, I thought I would share a little secret with you.  This is how we establish trust, right?  It’s the story of how this whole journey began.  What you see now is not what you got 20 years ago.  And, using the term of shy to describe myself, would be a little bit of an understatement.  True Story.  I was the one who got on the bus sat in the seventh seat, on the left, slid in all the way to the window hoping no one would talk to me because I was beyond intimidated of socialization.  So what did I do?  I drew… Not pictures of my family holding hands with a stick house in the background. But design plans of the home I would one day live in, my dream home.  Some girls dream up their wedding day, this girl dreamed up the stairway her daughter would walk down to her prom date.  Forget 12″ lined paper you tear out of your notebook.  This was the real deal.  I’m talking the paper with the squares that real designers (people who know what they’re doing) use.  Each square equaled 2×2 cubic square feet and every home had three levels.  I was a bit ridiculous but I needed a hobby and this fed my passion. I remember very little from childhood but this was one thing that always stuck with me.  So, forget the HGTV craze that’s bigger than ever these days… This passion for design has laid dormant in the depth of my soul since the 5th grade.  And, drawing gave me the confidence to slowly but surely step out of my comfort zone and become the woman I am today.  So cheers for being a little different and Amen for going against the crowd.  Moral of the story, not matter how big or small the dream, God will always provide. Today I have daughter, a stairway for her to walk down and a blog that shares my passion for design.  Welcome HOME.

Peace & Love,

Melissa 🙂

Every story has a beginning and this is mine.  Let me be the first to welcome you to my new home!  Today is the first day we’re breaking ground and I couldn’t be more excited to begin this journey with you.  This is a cozy little place where I hope you’ll put your feet up, relax, let your mind go to that beautiful place called your happily ever after… And just dream about the life that’s possible.  I believe we were created to enjoy life; not simply exist or rush through seasons of life to get to the next.  Why?  Because every day matters.  And before we know it, these little moments that become our lives, pass us by.  My hope is that you’ll join me on this journey.  Here, I’ll share what I’ve learned over the past 7 years (yes, 7 years!) in my passionate pursuit of design.  What you can expect in the days ahead… I’ll talk about design challenges and solutions, current projects I’m involved in, budget friendly tips I’ve used to repurpose my own home and lessons learned from my own DIY experiences.  Oh yes, the good the bad and the ugly!  My goal, to inspire you to create a beautiful new beginning for those that you love.  Welcome HOME.

Peace, Love & Repurposefully,

Melissa 🙂