When we first walked through this house, my least favorite thing about it was the darkness. Dark ugly paneling, cornice boards on the windows, dark paint colors, vertical blinds, and lots of trees. Just dark. One of the first things we did was rip down all those cornice boards and open the windows wide.
Today, one of my favorite things about this house is the light. The back of the house gets morning light, perfect for our sunroom. So in the evenings, we get a warm, golden light on the front of our house.
Since we knocked that wall down in our living room, the evening light spills all the way across and it is my favorite place in the world to be. I knew this was the house we were to buy, but at first I wasn’t happy about it. Too dark. Too depressing. Too dated. But we’ve made it home, so much so that I hope we never have to leave it.
Is there a gift that didn’t start out that way? Are there small, subtle gifts in your hands even now? The guidelines for Tuesdays Unwrapped are here. In summary, link up with the permalink to your unwrapped post, or your link will be deleted. I would also ask, as a courtesy, that you would please link back here to Chatting at the Sky by either using the button or a text link somewhere in your post. Thank you.
I could’ve written every word of this, just not as well. The feelings about my own home are the same.
Beautiful words and images.
What a beautiful home! The light really shines!
Sheri´s last [type] ..One thousand gifts 141-160
Lovely words and thoughts and home.
Rach@InHisHands´s last [type] ..on bedtime
What a beautiful home. We are still in the beginning processes of making this new house our home. Little by little we are adding our life and our touch. Your beautiful words and images make me want to keep working today on the areas that frustrate me.
Amy´s last [type] ..Friendships are Golden
I don’t have anything to link today, but I have to comment… your home is so beautiful, and if I lived there, I would love the light the way you do. This post just makes me so happy I want to cry to see it!
I don’t get to have a home of my own; we are still renting, and we will likely rent a while longer, especially while my husband’s boss is our landlord and cutting our rent in half to give him a raise, and here it is, the gift of God in it all, and we spent money for groceries this weekend and didn’t worry about it and still paid down the credit card this week.
And I do have light in my house, and you’ll get to see some later this week, because I’m catching a baby in it tomorrow!
Beautiful, beautiful, Emily.
Thank you for sharing what you love with us. It’s a little like a visit – which, I suppose, is why I feel so free to ramble away in your comments…
Kelly Langner Sauer´s last [type] ..a bit of fog
Your question about gifts that didn’t start out as gifts made me stop and think for a while. When I was writing this morning, I was quite certain I had nothing to contribute to Tuesdays Unwrapped today. But that one question changed it all. Thank you for altering my perspective, for causing me to stop and treasure and cherish a little more than I would have otherwise.
Imperfect´s last [type] ..The Inciting Incident
Light is huge for me too. I love the sunlight! I am sure God knew what He was doing when He used light imagery so much to talk about His Kingdom. Your home is truly beautiful, emily.
I might add fresh air as a close second–we lived for 7 years in a residence hall apartment with huge windows that didn’t open. Now, in Colorado–we open the windows wide…
Happy tuesday that feels like a monday!
dawn´s last [type] ..24over24
Georgeous home! I love the light, too. My special light to see is the creeping up of the sun above the horizon or going down. We have georgeous SONrises and SONsets in KS.
Sherry´s last [type] ..Winds of Change are Coming
So lovely, this God glory soul balming light! Your house is way too pristine btw.
To Think Is To Create´s last [type] ..Because I’m Getting Bangs
I just came across your blog and I LOVE this Tuesday’s Unwrapped. Such a great idea!! It’s so important to constantly look for things to be thankful for and appreciate. Thanks for inspiring!!
Lindsey Clark´s last [type] ..This is the day
I love your thought process always.
And there is something about light this time of year.
deb @ talk at the table´s last [type] ..an email- no address
It’s truly amazing what you’ve done with that place – a testament to what we can do when we look for the light… Love the photos.
Isn’t the light especially beautiful at this time of year? I love when summer folds into autumn gold. Thanks, as always, for Tuesdays Unwrapped, Emily — a bright light in an especially dark week.
Michelle DeRusha @ Graceful´s last [type] ..God in the Sky
Your house is beautiful! I just love the colors and the light.
Elisa´s last [type] ..Tea Time
a special thank-you to you today, as i continue to try to find the ground. thank-you for reminding me to think of the important things… the >gifts< that make life wonderful. {they're sometimes easy to forget}
ps: your home is beautiful and cozy. what a wonderful place for your girls to grow.
patty´s last [type] ..to be still again
I love how you capture the sunlight streaming through your home. Beautiful. I have places that are so dark that only artificial light can bring relief.
It must be wonderful to be able to look back and see how you’ve been able to transform your place. Thank you once again for sharing and inviting us to share in Tuesdays Unwrapped.
Southern Gal´s last [type] ..Granddaddy the Storyteller
Such gorgeous photos. I could stare at the light like that for the day. Thank you for hosting yet again.
I didn’t get a chance to be a Tuesday girl this week; more’s the pity. But I’m glad I got to read your post. It was so sweet of Nester to hook us all up last week when you were without power. . . but I missed you.
This is a wonderful post. I’m thinking that many of the gifts I cherish most in my life didn’t start out that way at all. And the things that I thought I wanted, the things I pined for–many of them turned out to be no big deal. Funny.
I love all your photos, but that one of the stair banister? That one is really something. Beautiful.