August 2011
My blog starts, like many Greek tragedies, in the middle of things. I would've written sooner, but we are four years deep in an endless renovation and three years into a (hopefully) endless marriage. Many people have said if you can survive a renovation as newlyweds, you can survive anything. We woke up one balmy June morning to find the AC had gone out. So far, we have survived a leaky roof, and infestations of ants, fleas, pantry moths and rodents. We've had birds come through the chimney and fly around the house, taunting our three dogs. We made it two years in a kitchen without lights or a dishwasher, and a sink where the water had to be bailed out every time it was used. In order to use our microwave, we had to run a heavy duty extension cord to the hall bathroom. The microwave cord wasn't quite long enough to reach so we had to hold up the 8-pound extension cord reel with one arm while the microwave ran. (Thankfully, now my left arm is as strong as my right!) We still have doors that don't shut properly, drywall that needs to be patched, trim that needs to be hung- and not to mention the outside of the house to fix!
This blog is about more than repairing an old house, it's about the start of a relationship, the foundation for a shared life. Through all the stress and the countless times I've wished for the house to burn, there has still been a sense of hope. Dave and I have both laughed and cried over the house- sometimes in the same night. These are the moments that have built our marriage. Each time something is added or fixed, no matter how small, it's cause for a celebration. The house feels new again. It is constantly evolving. I like where we are now- comfortable with our new AC unit and at ease simply reading side-by-side... enjoying working lights in the kitchen and have truly enlightening conversation. Once as a teenager I prayed to God for "an unconventional life-" I didn't want to follow the linear pattern of college-job-marriage-house-
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