Some families argue about the remote control.
Some families argue about who is supposed to take out the trash.
Some families argue about who sits next to who and who gets the last piece of pie and who left the refrigerator door open and who gets to recline in the recliner.
My mother and I?
We argue about the butter.
I know, right? Random. When I was growing up, the butter sat on the counter. Day after day. Week after week. Minute after minute. Getting mushier by the second. I couldn’t deal. I wanted my butter cold and crisp and un-counterlike. One day I stared in frustration at that butter dish and told my mother that when I grew up, I would have my own house and my own refrigerator and my butter would go inside on the top shelf and stay there until it was ready to come out for toast.
My mother just smiled.
And told me to pass her the mushy butter.
Yesterday I said goodbye to Thistlewood.
We packed everything up and closed on the house and I stood in the middle of this kitchen and cried.
Not a pretty cry like the ones from a Hallmark movie—a gut-wrenching, sobbing, come-apart cry that sounded like a cross between a coyote and the sleestaks from Land of the Lost.
It was pitiful.
The cry surprised me.
I didn’t see it coming.
I mean, I knew I was a little sad, but there was so much to look forward to. There was the new/old house waiting for me in Texas. There was an almost-renovated kitchen and an almost-renovated bathroom and an almost-renovated living room calling my name and a Santa-Claus step ready for December 25.
I was ready.
I was prepared.
I was set.
Until I had to say goodbye.
There is so much of my heart in this house.
In every room.
In every floorboard.
In every window that frames the Kentucky countryside.
I’ve raised my children here with Cinderella advice and twirly whirly skirts and salamanders and the sweetest guitar song I have ever heard.
All of the years and weeks and days and minutes of living came rushing back to me at once as I stood in the middle of that kitchen.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to press pause.
I wanted to stop.
I wanted to hold onto the pillars of the front porch and never, ever, ever let go.
But I couldn’t.
I had commitments and new houses and kitchens and family obligations waiting for me five states away.
The cold, hard truth swept over me in that moment.
This chapter of our lives was coming to a close.
With tears running down my face and my insides churning, I took one last walk through the rooms. I opened every cabinet and door and drawer and closet to make sure we hadn’t left anything behind. Slowly and surely and with a heavy heart, I told the house goodbye and that I would miss it forever and to make sure it behaved for the new owners.
I saved my favorite room for last. I stood in the butler’s pantry and sighed and opened the refrigerator to check it one last time.
And then?
I literally laughed out loud.
I cried and laughed and cried some more and then threw my head back and laughed so hard my sides hurt.
Because the last item I found?
The last thing left in the empty house?
The single, solitary piece of Kentucky that was left to take home?
Was this.
My butter dish.
Seriously?
Good thing God has a sense of humor.
Good thing I walked out the front door with a beautiful mix of laughter and tears.
Good thing I didn’t leave this dish behind.
I know our new house isn’t going to be interested in any of that mushy butter. 🙂
Letting go and taking hold can be hard.
Hear my sighs and see my tears for you. I will likely have to do this soon and I cannot bear it. So many reasons, but hear this strong young woman.... your home is your heart. Not a place, not a thing, your soul. No matter where you live the memories can come along but the essence of what makes a home is the love that fills its corners, decorates its rooms and where it stores it's butter. Take care.
You are so right, a house is your soul and your heart and where you pour all of your love to make it wonderful and nuture your family.
What a beautiful response! And how true...
Bless your heart. Honey, that room temperature spreads so easily and really has a taste of butter on a piece of toast or a hot biscuit. Perhaps you need two butter dishes so you'll have some cold -- who knows what for -- and some at room temperature so it will spread so beautifully on that bread. Yes, God has a wonderful sense of humor. I remember crying uncontrollably when we moved from our home of 15 years to a glorious new home we had built over the course of a year. I thought I was leaving behind all those wonderful memories we had made there. I learned, however, that the memories moved with me, to be built on and added to in our beautiful new home.
What a lively site you have. I am a newbie to following your blog. Best of luck in your new home. I am a new home owner too. Renting while contractors finish up Phase 1 of remodel. New town, new home- scary but exciting too. May you all have w fabulous Christmas wherever you are...
I think a lot of people are crying with you. I know I am....
I knew it would be hard to leave.... How could it not be bittersweet to leave what you poured yourself into for so many years? All the many hugs to you. XOXO, Lisa
Sweet sweet post! Bless your heart♥
Oh, sweet Sunshine, I know your heart is breaking. I also know there is joy deep down in that precious well of your soul, just itching to bubble over in Thanksgiving and Christmas and your new home and future memories. But it's waiting. Waiting to dry out from all the tears. A piece of your heart will always reside at Thistlewood Farms. However, I know your big heart and it will make room for the next stage of the play. While my heart is hurting for you, I praise the Lord for the butter dish! And that's the way life goes...laughter overwhelming the tears. Love you, sweet one! ❤️
Bittersweet...for both memories and butter. I have butter on the counter, and also in the fridge....so there's no arguing...except for the remote....socks randomly dropped in corners, whose turn it is to vacuum the stairs,etc....:)
Oh, sweet KariAnne, bless you. I know it must have been gut-wrenching to say good-bye to that wonderful house. But oh, the butter dish. That's HILARIOUS. Wasn't that so kind of God? And girlfriend, you really should try leaving at least some butter out on the counter. It's wonderful to have it ready to spread!
Prayers for you and yours Karianne, that your new home will bring as much happiness as you have had in Kentucky. Every time you see that butter dish, you'll think of Thistlewood. God bless you.
It's always hard to say goodbye. I had tears in my eyes while reading this. I keep my butter in a French butter crock on the counter in the winter and in the fridge in the summer. So I hope we are still friends. Here's to many more hard goodbyes in your future because it means that you are living and loving life well.
Your best post ever :)
My dear sweet friend, I got choked up as you walked from room to room, clinging with memories of love poured into that wooden frame that you made into a home. Our first home was the Good Housekeeping Merry Christmas house... which we had built and poured ourselves into, too. I confess... I grieved the loss. Though in our case the move included living in a new state I wasn't crazy about and my husband leaving his business and going back to school to study for the ministry. Everything was upended.... but I grieved my house. Recently we moved back to the little town where we built that first home. And I became a small group leader for 3-5th grade girls and one Sunday I discovered that the twins in my group were living in my house. AND LOVING IT!!! That... knowing that they LOVED my house/their home all these years later... is THE BEST! I hope you get to hear that too! xo
I just cried and than laughed so hard. Isn't it wonderful how humor can lessen the most painful or sad situations! It is indeed the best medicine! I am excited to welcome you to my home state of Texas! Hugs!!!
No words....heartfelt and so you!
We may be moving soon too- it's time to come back closer to home. I will feel the same about leaving my current home. Life is a journey!!!
Oh my goodness, I feel each tear and laugh along with you! Without laughter, our lives would not be livable at times! So looking forward to seeing how you make your new/old house special! Keep keeping on!!
When God closes a door he ALWAYS opens a window.A breath of new fresh air.A new challenge. And if anyone is up for that it's you!!! Iam being selfish here, but I can hardly wait to walk with you on this adventure. More family time , with all the family, lots more laughter and someone to hold you thru tears, hopefully not many. Keep your eyes and heart wide open Karianne , so you don't miss a second of this new chapter. I'll be with you , as with many others, all the way!!!!!
We are all crying for your achy breaky heart. Those emotions have a way of sneaking out of the corners of our eyes when we least expect them. Your family will have so many fond memories to take with them. The wonderful part of this adventure is you are not just moving to a house 5 states away. You are moving to your roots. To the place your little girl hands and feet left their imprint. And, now you will share that with your children. They, too, will leave their mark in the place where you grew strong, tall and proud. Such a beautiful gift to pass on to them.
The sleestaks though... :p
Oh what a marvelous strory! I have loved reading your blog for years, and your home is so beautiful! I STUDY every picture. But, I am a Texan and I want to welcome you back to our great state! I hope you will have many happy times here, and who knows? Maybe someday I will have the privilege of meeting you. I live on a ranch in central west Texas. Come have tea sometime :)
I'm so proud of that butter dish for being right where you needed it to be at the moment you needed it! Don't you just love God's sense of humor sometimes! Bless you so much in your move. I know it'll be hard. But I know it will be exciting, too!! Love you, Rockstar!
I get it. I SO get it. We too have felt Texas calling us home. I thought I was settled in Missouri. For gosh sakes, I almost purchased two plots in the quaint little cemetery a few block from our current house. I was happy. I was settled. I was at peace. And now we're about to turn our world upside down. My husband retires in three years and we're going home. We're needed there. We've already purchased a house. We have no idea what the future holds but have come to understand that 'survival of the fittest' is a misnomer. Those who can adapt to change are those that survive...and thrive. I'm going home.
Just like Lorene, I, too live in Texas (Dallas) and wish you all the best for a successful move. You have amazingly described the heartbreak and joy of leaving a beloved home and moving into another soon to be beloved home (or so we pray). Love your blog!
The fact that you reference sleestaks from Land of the Lost lets me know that though you're sad about this chapter of your life closing, it's all going to be okay. :) Thanks so much for sharing Thistlewood Farms with us! Blessings on and your family in your next season in the new house!
You have such a way with words that makes us all laugh and cry with you!! God bless you in your new home!
❤❤❤ I still have dreams about the farm in Michigan that we left behind..... Marti
So lovely. Really and truly lovely. Seeing through the tears to all the new challenges and life experiences in front of you. That butter dish would have been so sad to have been left behind. :)
I felt for you when you were walking through each room.......but oh, when you opened the refrigerator....I just knew that butter dish was going to be in there....yes, God does have a sense of humor but He also knows what we need when we need it. Loved the reference to the sleestaks...from The Land of the Lost.......made me smile, for I hadn't thought of them in years..
This post is so well-written; I feel like I'm saying good-bye right along with you! Change has always been very hard for me, but I usually find that once the change has taken place, it was never as bad and the sadness was never as long-lasting as I thought it would be. I hope it's the same way for you:)
How about a virtual hug? I don't have words of wisdom; just a desire to be there for you. Oh, and here's a nice compromise ... put just enough butter out in order to be soft with your meal and keep the rest in the fridge! ;)
Good luck on your new journey....I always believed that things were meant to be in the great plan of Life and know that your new journey will be brighter than any other.
So bittersweet Karianne ... or buttersweet ;) God has a wonderful sense of humor and way of helping us move on when it's time.
I never boo-hooed at my old house because my new move was going to be better. But I know what you are going through...
I know that had to be hard. Just look ahead. By the way, cold butter won't spread. 😄
Best of luck and love in your new home and state! It is hard sometimes, to move home when your heart is at home in the house you are leaving! Sometimes life hands us lemons! I gave a speech years ago about turning lemons into lemonade! Everyone understood!GABA
I loved your blog post this morning. With each and every move in my life, I have stood in the homes and have done the very same thing. Funny, even the old, drafty with-no-dishwasher apartment my husband and I couldn't wait to leave after we bought our first "real" house reduced me to a blubbering mess! It's the memories we made, the memories we shared, a passing of time, and is all a part of this wonderful thing called LIFE. Such blessings. <3
Moving is always such a bittersweet time in life. I was sad leaving every place we ever lived...so many memories. But I realized I was taking those with me. It's just hard to realize that part of life has passed. I know you will make many new memories to go with your old memories...in the new/old house. Love and Blessings to you, KariAnne!
Your stories always make me smile! Loved your book too! I’m looking forward to seeing how your creative juices work on your new old house!
Years ago I had to leave a house I truly loved. When we bought it I said that this would be our forever home. Our twin daughters were born there and I had watched our older children grow and change. But things change and we sold our forever home. The day we moved out I remember cleaning the entry floor on my hands and knees for the last time, crying and making my way out the front door. When I stood up and turned to leave I saw my potted red geranium and told my husband that I was not leaving without it. As he picked it up it slipped out of is hands spilling broken pottery,dirt and geranium every where. And what life lesson did I learn that day? I learned that life goes on even without your red geranium. Wishing you and your family many good memories in your new home.
I am wiping tears as I read your beautiful words. I have been in that same place and I know exactly the feelings you are describing and all of those memories are flooding back. It was our first home together back in 1968 and because of a new job opportunity for my husband, we moved to North Carolina from our Indiana home. My children had spent their entire little lives there (they were 11 years and 9 years) but to me, at that moment, it was forever! Life surely moves on moment by moment. After 44 years of marriage, my husband passed away, my boys were all grown up with their own lives and I struggled.......for a couple of years, but.......met and fell in love with the most wonderful man and we are ready to celebrate our 5th anniversary and our beautiful little home is warm, cozy and just right for the two of us. GOD GETS US THROUGH THE HARD STUFF and IS ALWAYS STANDING BY IF WE NEED HIM!!!! Blessings Karianne, to you and your lovely family and so many good wishes for your amazing new life!!!!
Oh I can so relate. Leaving "home" is so hard to do, but the Lord has great plans for you and since you are obeying his call, just hold on tight, it will be totally amazing and beyond your wildest dreams.
I love your writing. All good things to you. Xx
God has a great sense of humor doesn't he! Glad he gives us glimpses from time to time! Thanks for sharing your live. I have read your book and given it to a dear friend who will love it too!
Precious!
This was tender for several reasons. The first thing I thought of when I read the title of the post was my weakness for butter dishes. I love butter dishes and have some kind of comfort in using them. I have several and just bought another one last weekend. (If you saw it, you would hug it and name it.) The next memory I thought about was telling my mom that when I grew up.... all of my dishes were going to match. Guess what...I just gave her my matching set of everyday dishes and have switched to using all colors of fiestaware. (So that mushy butter might just come around.) The final thing that actually made my eyes sweat a little was the thoughts of my next-door-neighbor/dear friend doing just what you just did...selling the house she thought she would live in forever and moving to another state to be with family. (I have pictured her walking out of that house for the last time several times. Her reaction will be more subtle but nevertheless as heartfelt.) I shed a tear for her and a selfish tear for myself. But you know what...Everything is going to be alright and it is just a new chapter...for my friend, for you, and for me. You are going to make wonderful new memories in your new/old home. Change is hard and letting go is tough. I am looking forward to more posts of what you do to the house.
Oh, and YES, God does have a sense of humor. Just look at a giraffe!
My heart breaks with you. Sometimes some thing has a stronghold on I'd and God wants to be your stronghold. Hugs.
Moving is never easy but those precious memories move with us! That butter dish was a God send! Each time you see that butter dish, you will be reminded of all those wonderful memories! Plus, you have such a gorgeous new home just waiting for you to make all those precious "new" memories! You will be blessed in your lovely new home, KariAnne! Enjoy this new journey with your wonderful husband and family! Blessings!
I love all of your posts, but this has to be my favorite. You have such a beautiful way of telling a story.
Moving is never easy regardless what the reason. My heart went out to Julie....I lost my husband after 44 years too....setting here in my home by myself other than my two dogs. Yes it's hard moving ....just thank the Lord for still having your husband and your children to come with you. Such a blessing to you, you will make wonderful happy memories in this house in Texas. Be kind to yourself and take care ....this house will be " home " before you know it
A house that you've breathed life into for so many years is so very hard to leave. It's like saying goodbye to a loved one that you may never lay eyes on again. Huge lump in my throat. Hugs. xoxo
The butter thing made me smile. I have always left my butter out as my Mother before me did. My daughter's husband insists this is dairy and one cannot leave it out. I found an article recently that ye, indeed, butter can be left out, covered. When I have to use butter out of the fridge, I hate it! It just doesn't spead & really makes me grouchy.
So many of us have been right where you are..... standing in a forever home and saying goodbye maybe not with a butter dish to cry into.... more like an entire box of tissues. I couldn't imagine your goodbye to be less than what you have shared. The Lord has blessed you with so much and we thank you for sharing it with us. Looking forward to the many new/old house stories yet to come. So unpack those boxes and begin this new chapter of life. We will be waiting to laugh and cry with you!
OMG crying my eyes out for you, then laughing hysterically for you.....and, I swear to you: I said tghe EXACT SAME THING to my mother! Except I was meaner - I told her dairy needs to be refridgerated or it will go rank the entire family would die of salmonella. She just smiled and said "at least we can use butter again now that your father is over his margarine phase!" My little sister still keeps hers out and no one has died from salmonella. But mine is cold and if I need it mushy I microwave what is needed for said mushiness,......but eeeww, right? BUT I LOVE THAT YOUR BUTTER DISH WAS LAST THING IN HOUSE, because that is so absolutely classic KA! : - ) Good luck moving forward. Wonderful thing about leaving your wonderful Kentucky Home behind is that you have a bajillion gorgeous photos of it - you can visit it any time you like. Will the new owners be bloggers, by any chance?? Hugs.
Hi Michelle! Hi KariAnne! Just a tip from my chef friend -- if one intends to keep butter on the counter (preferably in a butter bell) it is best to choose the salted butter because it helps prolong freshness better! I like soft butter for spreading but I keep plenty in the fridge for baking, cooking, etc. Just an FYI! Oh, KariAnne, all the best to you as you make your move to "the land down under!" Last year I got to leave Texas ("as fast as I could" after 18 yrs) and came back home to Missouri... "In whatsoever state I am in....." hee
Right there with you. I literally JUST did this 3 days ago. It was the house we helped our son buy, A fixer. We all worked on it for 7 months, He moved in & we continued the journey for 4 more years. We put so much DIY time and love into that first home of his. He bought his own furniture and made huge canvas photo prints of his travels for the walls. We planted flowers and redid the back yard. He got his Christmas tree and it was gorgeous. 4 1/2 years later, he moved out with his girlfriend into a home they could share. Our fixer was beautiful and sold for way more than we could have dreamed. I touched up all the paint and left it spotless and pristine for the new owners. One last chilly evening we were there making sure we had everything, and we turned on the fairly new gas fireplace to warm the room. After our walk-through, I turned off the gas fireplace and as I watched those flames die for the last time that I'd see, I lost it. Suddenly, it was just as you describe - all the memories and all the love that went into that house with our son just came and presented themselves. I know it's a happy time of moving on for him, but knowing I'd never be in that house again was so sad. I gave my son a tearful hug and we looked around one last time then locked the doors and drove away. I'll still go back and check on it to be sure the new owners are doing right by it :) But it's a chapter closing - that's why it's so sad.
Aww! A friend once sent me this quote when I was in a very similar situation and it helped me. I hope it provides you a bit of comfort as well. "Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same". Take care! Brenda
Ha! The first argument my husband and I had as a married couple was over the butter dish. I like it warm on the counter and he thought that was gross (I just had it on an uncovered plate. He though it was asking for germs but I thought I used up so fast that germs wouldn't have time to collect. I took our argument as a good sign. My grandparents spent 57 years arguing over the butter dish. He liked cold butter from the fridge. She liked warm margarine from the countertop. In the end, they bought both and each got their wish. My husband and I compromised by keeping ours on the counter, but in a covered dish. Your story gave me happy memories of arguments over butter. Your new house will surely give you many happy memories yet to come!
doggone it, Miz karianne! I'm getting ready to leave for the evening, make up on and the whole bit, sitting here spending a minute with you while the clock ticks away the time and tells me I should be going.....and now? I have tears streaming down my face...sigh....I need to freshen up before I can go anywhere! You rock my world, little one. Have a great evening.
Crying is the release of the heart when no words can be spoken. I'm so sorry for your bittersweet goodbye. You 'll always have a piece of that home in your hearts. ❤ Cute butter dish! Glad it wasn't left behind.
Sweetest and saddest post ever. In the history of ever. I'll miss her, too.
So precious...I'm just getting back home to Kentucky after being transplanted in Texas (a few miles south of Dallas). I'm anxiously awaiting a house to be completed, with rolling hills and views of trees in every direction. I could not wait to get back home....but, I know how you feel (minus the kids). Leaving behind precious friends in Texas...what GREAT people. Love them and miss them!!! I felt sadness...leaving behind the good memories. Best wishes...can't wait to see your next "home"! God bless you and your family! There's no place like home!!!!
Blessings to you. Wonderful story. What a wonderful house to say goodbye to.
Awww... moving is so so hard. But at least you are right about the butter. I want it hard and cold. My dh wants it mushy and has even been known to microwave it ...resulting of course in a puddle of melted butter that never is right again. I figure there was something wrong in his fetchin' up.
Oh sweetie, we all are going to miss that beautiful Thistlewood. But we have your stories from Texas to keep us going, and maybe a book full of adventures down the road(?) Pat
You seem to handle all the bumps of life with humor and positivity. Thank you for the inspiration!
You are a natural born story teller! Thank you for all your amazing posts . And from one who has moved 13 times in my marriage , it really is the people who make the home. And you’ll make this new one wonderful. God bless all of you❤️
Change is hard sometimes and I know when it comes time to say good bye to ours and move into a tiny retirement home, it will be extra tough. But,a house is just a house my darling friend. It takes love to make it a home. No matter where you are big or small, You carry your love with you and your new house is a already a home. xo
I have cried with every move at the point of final departure. People who invest in making a house a home from day one must all feel this. I was surprised by such strong emotion too. Even when it was a very positive change. So much of life lived within those walls! All the best in your new home. You will be loving it up in no time!
It's hard to say goodbye. This is hard for me to see you leave Thistlewood. That's the only place I've ever known you and I'm having a hard time imagining you anywhere else. So I"m sad. But, I know you'll make your new/old home the warm, loving, beautiful space that you made Thistlewood. Not the same, but every bit "you". I can't wait to see it all.
Oh Karianne, I would be surprised if you didn't break down at the last minute and have a heart-wrenching moment leaving your beautiful Kentucky farm house. Hugs to you, sweet friend. About the butter...I'm more like your mother. I like spreadable butter, especially on toast. But here in Colorado Springs, even left out on the counter, my butter is rarely soft, especially in the winter months. Central A/C is rare in residences as it never gets nearly as hot as it does in Texas. And here's a Thanksgiving funny for you: I was whipping the cream for my pie toppings one Thanksgiving and got a little overzealous in the process. I made butter.
Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray that the old/new home Karianne and her family are moving to will be filled with love, laughter, joy and peace. Please put a shield of protection over the house, the property and the buildings on the property to keep anyone living there, visiting there and staying there safe and free from all harm. Please bless Karianne, her husband and their children with every good thing as they reside safely under Your protection in the old/new home. Father, please give Karianne new clever decorating ideas for the home that will keep her busy and happy, in Jesus' name, amen and amen..
What a lovely story, Karianne!! I'm getting teary eyed reading it. I will miss Kentucky as well... 😢 Time to leave the lush green land and Thistlewood for a new landscape....
Always thankful for the relief of laughter amid tears! That house and all those in Kentucky will miss you. So very grateful that you began this blog so that you could share life with us from whatever view your window holds. My heart remembers those tears of leaving a home well loved. Cherish the memories and we all look forward to the new ones you will make and share! Love you, sweet friend!
how funny...I have a very similar story with my mom and she's been gone for years now and I still laugh when I think of it, my kids will still joke about "wee Liza's" butter...as with many things laughter helps us through the hard things in life...keep laughing Karianne!
I too, am going to miss Thistlewood, but I am so looking forward to all the wonderful stories just waiting to be told about your new/old home. I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to actually visit you at Thistlewood. Who knows? I just might get to visit you in Texas one day...it could happen. Blessings on your new adventure!
Don't you love it when God does things like that.....??? What a great story and the "end" to the story of Thistlewood. I can't imagine how you said "good-bye", but I know you have much to look forward to with the new house and one day soon it will be as special as Thistlewood......maybe more so!! Blessings sweet friend....
Yes! And no! Yes- I, too, wailed a little over a year ago with my three dogs in tow as we left the home my husband had so lovingly built from the ground up. Yes, I was excited to be moving from the foothills of NC to the coast, just minutes away from my soon-to-find-out, it’s a girl, granddaughter! And a little over a year later, I still “walk” through our old home with a twinge of emotion but am so very thankful for the blessings this move has been. And no! Butter is best in a pretty dish on the counter -in our house anyway! 😉 Best wishes for your new adventure!
Oh Karianne, I'm just now reading this post and sitting here in tears. I too will miss Thistlewood. Obviously not like you ever will but we have all been so blessed to have you share your journey with all of us. Your post brought back memories of my childhood home when my parents sold it 40 years ago. We have been back here and there for tours by new owners as it was an incredible Victorian home in St. Paul, Minnesota. Not surprising, each of my five siblings and I take time every holiday (many on Christmas Eve) to drive by the old homestead and take in all it's glory. My most memorable drive was 10 years ago when my husband and I loaded up our van with our two sons and drove to check my mom out from the transitional care facility where she was recovering from kidney issues. We stopped for hot chocolate and drove up and down the streets and just listened to her share story after story with our boys. It will be a cherished memory forever. I am looking forward to your future posts and your new home being shared with all of us. Hugs.
I fell hard for your macaroni kitchen...I was tearing up as I was reading this post. Here’s to your new kitchen....whatever you call it! ;)
Awe-Karianne-my heart breaks for you. You have the butter dish to take all that Kentucky home love and transfer it to your old/new home. Hugs
I was feeling every pain of good bye with you. Beautifully written.
This was my favorite kitchen in all of home design blogs. I can imagine how difficult it must have been to say good-bye. Your new/old home will be as warm and homey as this one in no time.
I felt this way too when I left my 150 year old house that I had poured 17 years into making it mine. It was my forever home but due to health issues with my DH we had to sell it. God opens doors and closes them all the time for our own good. He has brought you full circle and now you are back with family. God placed you at Thistlewood for a reason and now He has brought you home for a reason! Your Thistlewood will always be in your heart but you are going to make even more beautiful memories in your childhood home. I think Karianne that your are one Blessed Angel. Look that all that happen to you in those five years with God's help - I wonder what He has in store for you now. I know its going to be wonderful,
I loved your story and I could literally feel your pain reading it. We sold our home of 24 years a few years ago and it was soooo painful. Even though we had a beautiful new home waiting for us and we were moving close to our family. I have been enjoying your stories of you new/old home and can’t wait to see your renovations!
This is my first ever comment on a blog. Your story so resonated with me. A year and a half ago we sold our country house, that my husband built over a 2 year period (when we were in our late 20s) after 34 years. We raised our 2 daughters, along with goats, cows, horses, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats. So many memories. But we now live on 14 acres with a view to die for, near our 2 young grandsons. Life is ever changing and full of new adventures, people to meet and places to see. I’m sure your adventures await. Terry Prineville, Oregon