Creating A Home

We all, or at least most, of us are blessed with a place to call our own, to live in and rest in. But is it a house or home? And what is the difference?

My kids have pondered this question many times over the past few months as they have really struggled with the transition to a new house. Yes, they can see all the ways this place is a blessing but they still wanted to go home.

I think we have finally turned the corner. What has made the difference?
Family time, and building memories together.
We have spent time playing games. We have done lots of baking and group cooking sessions. We have had our first holiday in our new place. We went all out on the decorating at Christmas, and used the opportunity to host an open house to show our friends our new place.
We hosted Christmas dinner. We had Nona to stay at Christmas and now have Grandma here. All these things have served to weave a spirit of family and connectedness into our new abode.

Now we have taken one more step. We have put paintings up on the wall. Decorations on a wall speak of permanence, of staying in a place for a while, enough to personalize it. Our last place never really got pictures up. We got one up in the living room but had to remove it to protect the painting from little boys. No others ever got up. Now we have multiple paintings up, with a few more to be added once they are frames. And the best paintings of all? The three beautiful watercolour paintings made by our children as a Christmas present to us.

Finally, we feel we really belong. that this is our home and not just a borrowed abode.