what is the true meaning of "home?" it's the word used to describe the place you go to feel at ease, relax, recharge, rest and live. it can be more than just a place. it can be a feeling or a sentiment. it's where you, as a being, identify as your beginning; the place where you became you.
recently, dave and i have taken stock of the things we want for ourselves and our family. we want to give O all the things that she deserves, most importantly, a sense of home. currently we rent an apartment that though it is where we live, it's not our "home." it's someone else's home that we live in. and with the cost of daycare, student loans, diapers, etc...it's not likely that we'll be able to purchase a home in the next 7-8 years. it's not that we can't afford a mortgage, it's that we can't get enough money together for a down payment towards a home of our own.
We want to give Olivia a backyard, a swingset, a neighborhood. we want her to grow up on a street where she can go outside and play with other kids her age, where her neighbors become her friends and playmates, where she can learn to ride her bike, play one-two-three red light, and build a lemonade stand.
To give her this better life that Dave and I envision we have accepted a gracious offer from my parents to move into their home. The commute for Dave will be long (45 miles each way - through the city) plus we'll be living in three rooms upstairs in their home. a bedroom for O, a bedroom for us and a living room/playroom.
it's a compromise for them and for us, but in the long run it is going to lead to O having a sense of self, a sense of belonging, and living a wonderful life in her own bedroom and growing up in a house that she can call home. it will give dave and i a place to call our own, the place where our family can grow and we too can find ourselves. i want a yard, i'd like a fire pit, a pool maybe and be able to decorate the way i'd want too. i want to invite family and friends over and have the space to entertain. i want to get up on a nice warm morning and drink my coffee outside on my porch. i want a home that we own.
as for Olivia, we are going to give her a sold base from which to explore. no matter where her journey through life takes her, she'll always have this place to return too, a place where she can come to recharge, relax and reconnect. a place she will know as "home."
1 comment:
You know what is SAD? Both Todd and I have owned homes and we can't afford the down payment either! We are highly educated professionals with multiple degrees, and we still can't seem to save up enough for a down payment for a home. Housing is SO ridiculous in this area. We owned a condo in Virginia (which was very pricey itself!) but just broke even when we sold it in our move up here to Mass. So then that left us as square one... no $$ for a down payment. We're trying to save again, but rent is ridiculous and we have 1.5 children (ha ha) so we NEED at least a 3 bedroom to rent, which makes it even more pricey. Don't even get me started on housing prices in the northeast! It's not affordable, even for people who do REALLY well. SO SAD.
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