Exhale

Prettily wrapped and tied nicely with a bow.

This phase of work is complete, crossed off our treacherously long to-do list, as we take a giant step closer to moving day. Over 2000 square feet of flooring has been replaced with tile and wood, their deep grounding colors a world apart from the previous incarnation, bland and essentially color-free. The fireplace surround, formerly a nondescript ceramic tile is now gorgeous polished granite. The stunning dining room chandelier, a reproduction design of a French antique, replaces the former plain-vanilla variety from the big-box home improvement store.

Two very significant projects still remain on the list. One is scheduled with a contractor for work early next week and the other Cristy and I are going to initiate ourselves.

Dozens of projects, less critical to our daily existence, both large and small in magnitude, will continue to vie for our time, attention and home improvement budget, but we will address each in turn. We will find opportunities to enrich our world and enhance the beauty of our home in many ways; each project a chance to express creativity, practice negotiating and build our nest together.

Today we stop for a minute to exhale, look around and smile. We are moving forward. Making this journey, together, is the experience that matters to us both.