One Year

Today is the anniversary of the day we got possession of our first house. Hard to believe it's been a year already! It was quite the journey, let me tell you! And it wouldn't be possible without a ton of help from some very amazing people. See the shout outs at the end! You'll see how many people there are to thank.

Adam and I- one year ago

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Even though I went to school for architectural technology, I've learned more about houses from my first house designing job and from actually owning a house, than all of school put together. 

Funny how experience always wins over training.

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Some big things we've learned as homeowners are as follows:

Everything happens for a reason.

Sometimes it sucks when it happens originally, but something else is definitely around the corner. Like when the first house we were going to put an offer on burnt down. That sucked at the time. But then we found this house, and we love it here. Plus it has a bigger yard, and a quieter street and a concrete foundation. (As compared to a wood foundation- just doesn't sound right to me when a foundation has an expiry date)

Don't judge a book by it's cover.

If you are able to look past a not-so-nice exterior and interior, the possibilities are endless. Knowing that the house has good bones and a layout that works for our family is what was really important to us. When we saw this house, we knew it was "the one". We knew it was going to be a lot of work, but the aesthetic of a home is easily fixable into something great.

It's always worth the time and money.

Who would have thought the biggest purchase of our lives would keep costing more money. Lucky for us, the money we put into the house keeps making it better and that investment always brings a return. It makes spending the money more rewarding, not that spending money isn't fun as it already is.

A home is like wine.

It takes time and energy but it just keeps getting better! The longer we've lived here, the more it's become flavourful and rich, with layers of dark red fruit complimented by hints of vanilla and mocha.... Oh wait, that is off my bottle of red! But back to homes; the best ones don't necessarily cost the most. It's what they become with time. Delicious and robust. Sweet and comforting. Unique and bold. Yes. Homes are just like wine.

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And lastly, home is where the heart is.

This old home has been so full of happiness and laughter and love and friendship in the short time we've lived here, and that is thanks to the people that have made this house a home.

A huge shout out to both sets of parents and families, who truly made this adventure possible for us. To Tanya, Patrick and family for the long nights painting, smashing holes in walls, and for everything. To Sandra at RCU, to Zig at Battersby's Plumbing, to Chris at Canyon Electric, to Dale at Big Bend Plumbing and Heating, to John and John at Revelstoke Flooring, to Laurie and Courtney at Expressive Interiors, to Blake at BR Construction, to Connie, to Mike at RockWorx, to Chris and Trap with New Era Insulation, to all our friends, and to anyone else I forgot: Thank you so much! It wouldn't have happened without you all.

Last but not least, thank you to Adam and the Big Guy upstairs for EVERYTHING! I am so lucky and blessed to have such a wonderful life.

Keenan and I these days

Happy Living! 

Xo Jena