Feels Like Home

My precious mantle

With every passing day our new house is feeling more and more like home. I was telling people the first couple of weeks that while I loved it it felt like we were staying in someone else's house - like renting a house on vacation. But we've unpacked most of the boxes (and what remains to be unpacked is hidden away in closets), we've started to hang things on the walls and put pictures on tables and shelves - but last night's festivities really made this house feel like a home.

My husband's parents host a weekly Sunday night dinner. We don't attend every week, but it's one of those things that you know is there if you feel like stopping by. Well, we decided to host Sunday dinner at our house last night and invite his entire family (which isn't small, btw!) Everyone was able to make it except for one sister who had to work, but they'll be over this week.

It was a total success. My husband cooked an amazing meal of spaghetti and (homemade)meatballs and sauce. There were appetizers. There was a dessert. There was wine. We had good conversation. The kids were playing without any major meltdowns or fights. And best of all everyone had good things to say about our home :)

It just felt so good to host a gathering again. We hadn't done it in quite a while because, frankly, we were embarrassed by our apartment. The 1970's wallpaper, the permanently stained brown (supposed to be white) linoleum in the kitchen, the flooring in the bathroom held down by duct tape, the washer in the pantry and the dryer in the kitchen . . . We just weren't all that excited about having people over. So it was so nice last night to not only play host to our family, but to be proud of the house that we now call home.

I LOVE this house. I really do. I feel blessed to have found it. I've always felt lucky for all the wonderful things and people I have in my life, but tonight I feel extra blessed, as I have for the last three weeks.

P.S. Another one of my homeowner dreams came true yesterday. While we were getting ready for everyone to come over last night our neighbor stopped by to introduce herself. (I wish I had been more presentable since I was still unshowered because I was cleaning floors and such, but even dreams aren't always perfect) She has a little girl about my younger son's age and has invited us to come over this summer to swim in the pool. We talked about the neighborhood (especially how quiet it is!) and she gave us the lowdown on a few of our other neighbors.

It was just how I always wanted it to be. People coming over and introducing themselves. Someone waved to me the other day while I was pulling out of the street and they were pulling onto it. Someone else said hello when we were getting out of the car the other day. You know, a REAL neighborhood.

We're going to make a lot of wonderful memories here. I just know it.