It’s been a few months since I’ve given you an update on what’s happening inside the construction of our house! We now have walls, doors, and windows! Plus, finishes (like tile and floors) are starting to go in! Here’s a mini walk-through video for you…

This (almost) 5 year process has been an emotional roller coaster to say the least, so I wanted to share some of the awesome (but also not-so-awesome) things that have happened recently…

Not-so-awesome things:

Break-ins. We were given a heads up when we started this project that break-ins are unfortunately very common on construction sites. I was in complete denial because I just believe that most people are good people. But we’ve unfortunately had a handful of break-ins over the course of this project with the most recent being not too long ago. People mostly steal tools and sell them to pawn shops. Even though it’s not a house that we yet live in and so many people are currently working there everyday, it still feels completely violating.

Money Stress. I have never been so stressed about money in my whole life. Everyone tells me that home ownership changes the game, and they weren’t kidding. Being a renter thus far in my adult life has sheltered me from this feeling of knowing the stress of owning property that is yours…plus, all the responsibilities that come with it.

I Cry a lot. I’m already a very emotional person, and I cry probably once a week lately. It’s a lot of things to manage on top of my regular job, running a business, and trying to have some sort of life. There are some days I just want to give up and undo all of it. I truly do try to remind myself that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and my husband has been so amazing is reminding me of that!

Awesome things:

It’s starting to look like a real house! Once the walls went up, it all started feeling much more real. It was no longer just this pile of dirt that we looked at for years! We are now able to walk through and actually see how the space is coming together, where things will go, and where my family will be living.

Having control over where we live and what we do to/for our house. No more broken faucets due to faulty old plumbing or having to wait for a landlord to fix something that always breaks! I’ve rented for so long that I gotten used to having to make do with old parts that constantly break. To know that we can fix something or change something on our own feels very freeing.

Seeing all of our hard work pay off. This project has been nothing short of time-consuming and stressful. But when I have a moment to take a deep breath and really take it in, it’s pretty incredible when I let myself appreciate how hard my husband and I have worked to save and save (and will continue to save) over the course of our adult lives for this forever home for our family.

{Photos by Lily Glass and Morgan Pansing. Video by Jenner Brown. Construction by Boswell Construction, Architecture by Project M+, Interiors in collaboration with Cleo Murnane at Project M+. All other layouts by Joy Cho. My pink dress is Kate Spade, boots are Red Wing Heritage. Written by Joy Cho.}