The 2nd Story

  Creating a Secondhand Home In two weeks, my husband and I will have lived in our house for two years. What a ride these past two years have been. Milestones, deaths, celebrations, losing jobs, and starting businesses—a lot can happen in 730 days. There were many unexpected events; some were amazing, and others I would have rather never experienced. Still I would not take any of them back. Each experience has led me to where I am today. Through it all, we have been making this house our home. It feels funny to say that, knowing we plan on moving states in a few years, but what I mean is more of a feeling than a permanent location. It’s about creating the feeling of home . We originally moved into our previous house to take care of my grandmother when she was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It was a quick decline, but I will never regret the memories (both the good and the bad). The time I spent with her is time I will never get back. My time with her came to an abrupt end, we h...

We kicked off my husband's 40th-birthday celebration early this week. It is a milestone year that deserves a major celebration. Honestly, I wouldn't be where I am without this man's unwavering support, so he deserves a whole chapter of his own! We started the day with a slow morning and coffee at our favorite local shop. We’ve come to really value that quiet time together. As my kids get older, the way we spend time together has changed. Every stage has its pros and cons, but witnessing them actually absorb an experience and be fully present is something truly special. We’ve been talking about this specific event for weeks: The Dallas Symphony Orchestra performing Danny Elfman’s scores from Tim Burton’s films. They played music from Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, and The Nightmare Before Christmas . It was a total nostalgia dump. I loved watching the crowd get into it; it’s amazing to see people come toget...