In 2012, one hundred twelve years after some man I don't know had a dream to build a house...seventy-seven years after my grandparents moved in...and twelve years after I moved in, this house got a new name.
It ceased just being Bekahland and became...Shafferland.
When Ryan and I got married, he owned a home and I owned this one, and we chose to live here for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was its almost-halfway-between-two-jobs location.
He moved in to Shafferland, but he also moved in to project-land. So many things needed updated and fixed and...well...helped.
And for the last {almost} year, we've worked so hard on this place. We redid the kitchen, two bathrooms, the carpet in the main living areas, created an outside living space and replaced the plumbing. We added shutters and began landscaping.
It's been a year of hard work and long, frustrating, inconvenient days, but looking around...I'm so happy to see what we've done. Not only does it look better...but it's ours. It's home. I tell Ryan over and over that I wish Grandma and Grandpa could see this place, because I know they would love it. They would love the way we love this house...and they would love the cozy place it's become.
We love coming home. We love resting in this place we've worked hard together to make our own.
People ask us a lot of questions...and I think the only thing that comes close to the most popular question {when are you having kids?} is So.....what's going on with the housing situation? Are you moving to Fort Wayne? What's happening?
Are you ready for the answer? Here it is:
We have no idea.
True story! We have spent hours working through all conceivable {and a handful of inconceivable} scenarios, and we are not sure what's next for us.
But this I can tell you, without a doubt.
If we stay here in this house...forever...what a legacy that will be! To be able to trace the story back to the box-on-bricks beginning like I've done for you...and then recount the memories yet to be made...spectacular! To carry on the legacy of my grandparents would be an honor. We have big dreams for this place that would be such fun to put into place. If we stay...it will be grand. It will be a joy in every way.
If we move out of this house and into another one...then this house will be one of the most treasured memories of my life. It will always be the place where I wrote my book...and where God carried me through my darkest season. It will always be the place where Ryan came to ask me to pray about a future together. It will be the place we came home to after our honeymoon, where we spent our first Christmas, and where we learned to be a team. It will always be the place that we made our home.
But for as much as I love it...as much as we love it...and we so, so do, we also know, it's just a house.
We are the home. Wherever this man I love so much sits beside me and holds me close is home.
8 comments:
What a totally interesting read!! Thanks for sharing this story; SO good! But, now I "NEED" to know: Whatever happened to Kaegan?!
Oh yes, you probably don't know that part of the story do you? Kaegan died in 2011 - he was 10 years old. Here's the post I wrote after he died: http://bekahsbits.blogspot.com/2011/07/little-kaegan-james-31101-72311.html
This was so special to read! What memories!!
Awwww!!! I love the way you ended this series. So cute, so sweet, and I soooo agree about my first/only home with Derek. The home we bought together, came home to from our wedding, and the home we will build whatever God has in store for us next! :) So happy for you and Ryan and your home!
Tamar - Thank you! I've enjoyed reliving the memories - thanks for reading them!
Elisa - Thank you!! We are pretty happy - and pretty tired! :)
beautiful!!!!!!!!! thanks for being such light, sweet Bekah! :)
XOXO
I grew up in my great grandparents home. Today my parents still live there. I have no idea who will take over the family home next but I hope it stays in the family. It has been in our family since 1853! On a side note my brother lives in the other family home the birth place of my grandmother and that was builit in 1885!! I enjoyed the story.
I love the conclusion to this story, but in some ways it is just the beginning too. Thank you so much for sharing it Bekah!
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