The Rewards, and Endless Work, of Owning a Home

We recently hit the one-year mark of being homeowners. In the last year, we have bought a lawn mower, a ladder, a snow shovel, a gardening kit, a new rain gutter, and more things than I could have ever anticipated. We have had to cut a hole in one of our ceilings, replace some seriously stinky carpet (previous owners had dogs inside), and put in a handful of smoke alarms. We have pulled more weeds than I can count, and we survived the 2018 Thatcher grasshopper invasion last summer.

I’ve also learned more than I ever thought I would in the last year. I’ve learned that deer pretty much eat anything that isn’t fenced in, that tomatoes will not survive the grasshopper invasion, and that having a garage in the winter is literally life changing. I’ve learned that watching my husband get a skunk out of our chicken coop was one of the funniest things I could’ve ever seen, and I’ve learned that no matter how hard I try… birds will always make a nest in my wreath.

When we were about to buy our house, I had plenty of people tell me to “get ready for a long list of projects”. Our house is not a “fixer upper”, but with any house, there is always a to-do list a mile long. Despite the list of ever-growing projects, I love being homeowners. I love having a place that is ours. I love building our own garden beds, and changing out sconces. I love hanging up family pictures, and putting personal touches throughout the house without worrying if I’ll get a deposit back. I love debating what color to paint rooms and laughing at the fact that we still have the deer wallpaper up in our bedroom.

I finally, for the first time in almost a decade, have a place that finally feels like home. A place where I can relax and wear sweatpants. A place where we welcome friends and family, and celebrate milestones like our kids’ first steps or first holidays. A place that feels like nothing short of a giant, warm hug when you come in the front door. This last year has felt much more grounded than our previous five years of marriage (where we moved every single year during college), and it sure feels nice to finally be in a home without any plans of moving soon.

Published in The Tremonton Leader in May 2019