Today marks one year since we finalized the purchase of 715 Thomaston Street.
As most of you know, Josh and I purchased Our Little BIG Dream shortly after losing my mom. When writing our original blog post, we left out a small piece of that story—we are finishing a job that she and my dad had started.
About eight years ago, my parents purchased this beautiful home. They never intended to live there, simply clean it up enough to flip it. Over the years they completed a few projects and enjoyed a few treasures. On more than one occasion, when someone approached them about selling it, the answer was always “the time is not right.” I’d like to think fate was saving it for us.
Last summer, my mom was involved in a tragic accident. My dad had a conversation with us kids about consolidating a few properties and said if anyone was interested in this project, they needed to speak up. Later that day, Josh and I unlocked the house and he saw it for the first time.
I had spent countless hours in the house over the years—exploring or helping Mom with one project or another. Being the dreamer I am, I had been working on a restoration Pinterest board for years. Josh on the other hand, is a facts man. He was more interested in the bottom line and if this house was worth the investment.
Mom has been such a special piece of this project. We’ve each found small trinkets on the property that were so specific to our relationship with her that it nearly took our breath away. We took those as signs of approval on our project. She spent her last months on earth, pouring energy and sweat into this house, now it was our turn.
We have the best contractor. The first time we met, we spent about an hour in the house, moving room to room, discussing and analyzing. We talked about Barnesville and the house, but not too much more. When we were wrapping up our meeting, he subtly looked at me and said, “You look like her, ya’ know” and got in his truck and pulled off.
Full of emotion, I knew we found our guy. Years ago, Bobby completed a job for my parents with our dear family friend, Doug Walter. The fact that Mr. Doug trusted him was enough for me; however, when I knew he knew and remembered my mom, I was sold. I told Josh, “I know it doesn’t really matter… but it does.”
The day before the one year anniversary of losing Mom, we got another call that changed our lives. My doctor was calling to confirm that I have Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (ER+, PR+, HER2-) in my left breast and lymph nodes. Once news began to spread, one of the first questions we would get from friends was, “What about the house?”
Our house renovation guided us through the first year of grief. Each time we stepped into the house, a sense of peace would wash over us. It felt like a bubble, closed off from everything else. We were building a future home for our family. Now, the house will guide us through the next chapter of our story.
Through our trials, the house has almost taken on an energy or presence of its own. Something to look forward to, or a symbol of easier times on the horizon.
These past two chapters in our book were not ones we pictured on our wedding day in 2019, but then again, who grows up thinking they would be navigating grief at 32 or cancer at 33. Life-changing events have a way of steering our story. These “plot twists” are all reminders that we’re a work in progress.
Our story, like our house, is proof that with the grace of God and the help from others, we are able to accomplish tasks and feats that seemed impossible.
As we continue to make headway on our house renovation, I am reminded that soon a new chapter will begin with new adventures. We are looking forward to this next chapter.
Thank you for navigating this dream with us.
-Kathryn