Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Welcome Home

So yesterday, I was reading Nicole's blog, In These Small Moments, and she had Kris from Pretty All True guest posting.  Kris wrote about how as a child she never really wanted to go home, but now, as an adult with a family of her own, it's always great to go home (you should go read her post.  My summery is suck-o compared to her beautiful prose).  It got me thinking about how much I love our home.  So I thought I would take you on a tour of my home one room at a time.  Sort of a series every now and then.
 Today, I figured I would start where few people start their home tours.  With our bedroom. Now don't be scared.  We are coming in through the bathroom door and the first thing you see is our laundry.  It's early in the week, so the pile is still small.
Ahh...there is the rest of the room!  When I was a kid, my bedroom was MY place.  I spent a ton of time there.  I read, listened to music, read, played with my toys, read, talked on the phone to boys, read, talked on the phone with my friends, read, did homework, read, and slept there. It was where I could go to be alone.

I wanted to create that happy, comfy feeling here when Cort and I bought this house.  Everyone thought I was nuts painting the walls such a dark blue, but I needed it to be warm and dark at night.  At the same time, I wanted it to be bright and cheery during the day, so we got light wood furniture, white trim, and bright primary colored accents. The room isn't big, but it's comfy and cheery--even when I'm home sick in bed.

Our bedroom has also become a gallery of pictures.  We have had what feels like a kazillion photo shoots in the past year or so (Thank you, Missy!!!), and I can't ever take old pictures down, so I just keep adding. So what used to be our nice, clean vanity, has turned into a showcase of family photos.

I love to have images around me that make me happy.  Next to our bed we have our engagement picture (taken in 2004) our wedding invitation, our wedding picture (taken in 2005), and our most recent picture of Eddie (taken in 2010 on the bridge where Cortney proposed to me in 2004).

Many times when I was battling anxiety and depression I would come home from work, drop my stuff, and go straight to bed.  Sometimes with my coat and shoes still on.  Lying in our comfy bed staring at the walls was all I had the energy to do.  And these were the things I needed to be around me:  photographs.  Cort and I together.  Eddie.  A note from my BFF reminding me of all the great times we've had.  This is my nightstand.
But of course the room is not just mine--although I think I seek it's refuge more than Cort does.  But Cort does have space here too.  He has his stacks of hats and tech-geek stuff.  He has his drawers with socks and undies too.  And he has his Eddie on his nightstand reminding him that he IS the #1 dad!

This room is ours.  We both lived in our own bedrooms for many, many years and have only shared this one for five years.  But it is the place where we have our most serious discussions.  It's where I have laughed harder than I have anywhere else in my life.  We have cried over lost loved ones and lost opportunities here.  This place?  It is our place.

10 comments:

Gina said...

LOVE that color on the walls. My bedroom too is packed with pictures!

Anonymous said...

Know what's crazy...no pun hee hee...my bedroom is the SAME colour. I think it's cornflower blue? Except our furniture is dark cherry wood. Isn't it the most soothing colour ever?!

I adorn my entire house in pictures. I'm not very good at taking them but I feel so comforted when I look at the memories they created.

I'm glad that we all have a safe place we can go to to unwind.

Thanks for sharing this!!

Lindsay said...

Your house is CLEAN!

mommytojenna said...

I can't stand taking down old photos either, so what i've done for years is just place new photos on top of the old ones. it's really fun to see all the photos that have been in that frame over the years.

sevencherubs said...

love the bedroom tour - my bedroom and lounge room is exactly the same colour - I love it! looks good :)

Nichole said...

I do believe that is the most beautiful shade of blue that I've ever seen! Just lovely and so serene.

I love the way you group photos.

Can't wait until it's your turn in my series...you have beautiful words too...

missy widener said...

that is a calming color, and I LOVE that you keep up all your images because I just love looking at my images, too...it makes me smile. and a digital photo frame will never do for me because I need to see them all at once!! love how you have the note from tonya, too....you are the best.

kris said...

I love this tour! And I love that you have made the room truly yours. I love that you have filled it with the things you need to make you happy. The people you love.

And I love that this room has seen you through bad times, and you still seek comfort and joy in its arms, even after the hard times have passed.

It's not just a room. It's you. And you are beautiful and strong and filled with love.

Miranda said...

I LOVE the blue. Love it. And I totally agree that we need a place to seek refuge, despite the fact that our homes ARE our places of refuge.

And I can't take down photos either. But I have a horrible time remembering to print them.

Grace @ Arms Wide Open said...

beautiful room! i feel like i just got another peek into who you are! love it!

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