The home I grew up in was full of life and laughter and joy.
It was a hub of bustling activity with a project in every room.
My mother tiled the kitchen herself. My father kept his giant rock collection in the library. My sister had everyone sign the wood floor in her room. My brother built a giant marble machine that covered the entire family room.
It’s where I played hopscotch and taught school to my dolls and climbed trees and decorated my room with Laura Ashley wallpaper and watched my mother make pancakes every Saturday morning.
There were speeches and performances and dancing and debates and stories.
And oh…the stories we would tell.
The halls of the house rang with them.
But eventually, we all grew up and left home.
Life continued.
There were new chapters yet to be written.
We all started our own families and the house was left a little sad and forlorn. It became too much for my mother after my father passed away and so she made the very difficult decision to sell it. With overwhelming sadness, we packed up our stories and our memories….
…..and moved on.
Literally.
And as we were cleaning up the house and getting ready to move my mother to her new home.
I discovered this.
Dirty and broken and barely salvageable.
It was the remains of a birdhouse.
This birdhouse once perched on a stand in the middle of the backyard at that wonderful home where I grew up.
It was there when I ran out the door to meet my friends after school.
It was there the day I chased the chickens around the yard.
It was there when I graduated from high school.
It was there the day I got married.
It was there the day I brought those precious twins home from the hospital.
We brought those pieces back to the farmhouse in Kentucky where my husband carefully restored it.
Piece by piece.
Shingle by shingle.
Board by board he refinished it and refurbished it and recreated it and rebuilt it. He spliced those old broken pieces together and rebuilt the inside and painted it white.
Until it was as good as new.
Maybe even better.
And then?
That house I grew up in?
We found it again.
Those people that my mother sold it to?
That house of stories?
The one with the curb where I first kissed my husband?
The back porch where I waited for our first date?
It became ours once again.
And the birdhouse that we rescued?
It came home again.
And just like that birdhouse of my youth?
It has a stand.
It’s holding court in the center of the flower garden.
Just like before.
It’s here.
It’s still standing.
And all these years later, it’s renewed and refreshed and restored and rejuvenated and ready to take on all the chapters yet to come…
…because it’s finally home.
Just like me. 🙂
PS I found some of the CUTEST birdhouses online in case you wanted to start your own birdhouse tradition.
When you moved back, the birdhouse was the first thing i asked about! As i read this post about your life journey, i smiled as i realized how happy i am to have taken part in much of your life journey here on your blog. Thank you for sharing and taking us along for the ride! We return here and it is kind of a landing place where we know we are always welcome.
Oh gosh how I love your story!! How you tell a story is my favorite!!! Btw your hair is beautiful!! I have hair envy ! Have a blessed day Peace, Wen
As usual, you make me smile. Wishing you and your wonderful family peace and calm in these unsettling times -- take care of you and stay safe.
I love your birdhouse! And I'm sure the birds are happy it is back. I think I'll have hubby help make me one too! We love sitting on the porch watching and listening to the birds♥
You were sooooo lucky....My story is one hundred percent opposte...yours was a fairy tale....
Stop, no don't!!!! You have made me tear up in so many times, but in such a good way. Thank you for sharing your stories. Never stop sharing your memories and your love. Stay well my friend.
That birdhouse is perfect for your house! Both sweet and stately! Love your stories!
I am really not thinking about the birdhouse but about the signed wood floor in your sister's bedroom. Boy, I wish I had a picture of that. Did your parents give her permission for this? Childhood.
That was the sweetest story~made me cry!
This was just the sweetest heartfelt story that brought a tear to my eye. I'm sure your heart bursts with joy to be home again. Thank you for sharing! (Tight hug)
What a lovely story! I love watching, feeding, housing our birds also! You are so lucky to have had such a happy childhood 🌞
I've told you before...I'll say it again! I LOVE how you write. You put me right in the middle of your story as if I was there watching the timeline of your life. LOVE LOVE LOVE
You know how to make my heart sing! I am so glad that handsome man understands your heart as does mine!
As I read this story, something came to my mind that I always wanted to ask you. Given that your house was your childhood home and there is so much nostalgia attached, do you ever find it emotionally difficult to make permanent or even semi-permanent updates and changes? I ask because I tend to "find the perfect spot" for whatever knick-knack or piece of furniture I have and then I want to leave it like that for eternity! Just curious if you ever feel that way, too, or does your creativity just override those feelings every time?
I read your prior story about returning to Texas from Kentucky. I smile because you've given encouragement to go for what you really want.......after all you won't know what you can get unless you ask for it! Perfect example here and serves us all well in remembering this! Thank you!
My goodness! Who knew there was a restored birdhouse to return home! How wonderful. And tell that sweet Knight in Shining Armor that “he did good”...in your best Kentucky accent for me!! Happy Monday, friend!!
Love the post BUT...... the WORD NUMBERS on the the front of the house.... fabulous ...just makes the front of your home
You have a gift my friend! Keep making us smile and tear up with joy!
It was such a great story and i love birdhouses, thanks and have a blessed day.
Since you have such a gift of writing, have you ever thought to write your own memories of childhood, marriage, and motherhood for your own children and they can pass it on down. They would cherish these in the future. Just a thought for you.
Smiling ear to ear! Thank you I needed that story today. Stay healthy and safe!
I’ve known since you first shared how wonderful it is for you to be back home. But I just now thought of how wonderful it must be for your siblings! Especially your sweet sweet mom! They all must be delighted!! So happy for you all. Including the baby birdies.
You are a consummate storyteller! Every tale is a treasure.
Awww, Miz karianne, you really know how to grab someone by the heart and never let go! LOL, I mean that in a good way! And you had me at "Birdhouses". I have a birdhouse fetish. Seriously. Not a single one outdoors, but lots and lots of them INDOORS! We had a Martin House in my back yard that was high up on steel pole, and this one reminds me of that time, long ago. Thank you for sharing. I know your Dad smiles at the house you grew up in.
Just curious. With the bird house sitting so low to the ground, do the birds actually use it? Are they skittish and afraid? Are they safe from cats and other predators?
Carolyn, That's a great question! We just put it out, so we don't have any birds yet! I'll keep an eye on it! Happy day!karianne
Love that birdhouse, so glad you have it back where it belongs.
You are an amazing story teller, KariAnne. Thanks for sharing! Total aside ... I'm planning on a mini laundry room makeover (as long as I don't have to go out and purchase anything) so I've been reading your laundry room posts. Did you ever paint the coffee bar side of the room??! (I voted for Peppercorn, btw ;) Have a blessed Holy Week and Easter Sunday!
Love it! Renewed and refreshed and restored and rejuvenated!! How wonderful, and someday will all will be, too!!! xoxo
Someday "we" all will be, rather!!
Your blog is such a sweet place to land each day. Love the birdhouse...how wonderful for you to have taken it along with you and your family on such a great journey.
I love the birdhouse ! So sweet ! IAM like Angie above...you were so blessed as a child...I didnt have that.
Your birdhouse suits your house perfectly! So glad you are able to have it once again where it started!
Birdhouses are wonderful. I’ve had several - some are Churches. Birds love the black oil seeds (WalMart/bird stores). Blue birds love Also freeze dried worms i put in a plastic open container nailed to the fence next to their house. Always have blue bird houses with blu bird families. Just love em all. Bb return to their homes each year. So fun to watch. We sold our house several months ago but left blue bird houses with a promise they’ll keep up with it Barbara gomez
How wonderful to preserve so many memories in buying back your family home. Your writing is an inspiration to so many in these dark times. Be safe
KariAnne, another beautiful post! So nice to read about the journey of the Birdhouse! It is home at last and looks so pretty in that spot -- and so stately, too! Those birds will soon be taking up residence in their beautiful new home! It will be fun to be able to sit and watch them! Have a blessed week! Praying for you all!
What a beautiful home and story you have! You are a beautiful person inside and out! Thank you for sharing all of your sweetness with us. You inspire me to do more and to get my own lovely birdhouse! Happy Easter to you and your family. Stay well and warm and safe!
What wonderful memories of a family, a home, love, and renewal. Thank you for sharing!
I LOVE happy endings! Yet, your happy ending promised even more, another whole story to tell. Well done!
I love this. I have a birdhouse story too. My Mom spent all her childhood summers with her Grandparents in North Dakota. We all gathered there a few years ago after my Grandpa had passed away. Mom wanted to drive past her Grandparents house and it was so very sad because it is now a rental and the beautiful Gardens my Great Grandpa kept were all overgrown with weeds. My mom spotted the birdhouse, the one that had always been in the garden, that my grandpa had handmade. It was knocked off its perch just laying in the weeds. Mom stopped the car and walked into the yard to look at it. The renter came out and my mom told him that her grandfather had built that birdhouse and she was going to take it. We loaded it in the car and now it’s at Mom’s. Thank you for sharing your story, I love that you now get to live in your original home. Isn’t God so tender in how He loves us? ❤️