Our Enchanted Cottage

Last night, my husband and I toasted the fact that one year ago, we moved into our Enchanted Cottage in the Chicago suburbs.  We find it hard to believe it's been twelve months, but we agree that this has felt like home since our first day in residence.

In October of 2008, I wrote a post titled, "What Makes A House A Home?"  At that time, we had just moved into what we hoped would be our final "home".  I reread that post this morning and recalled how certain we were then that we would never move again.  But, alas, three years later, we were searching for a new place to live because of circumstances beyond our control (the house needed major repairs which the landlords were not willing to do).

When we found our present domicile, we had been looking in vain for weeks, determined to not only find something that "worked" for us physically, but would have owners who understood we wanted to remain there long-term.  "Enchanted Cottage" (which we named after one of our favorite classic movies from the forties - and it fit because the house is cottage sized) is just that perfect place.

Shortly after we moved in, both our children told us that they felt like this was our long-time home in Florida, where they had both grown up (talked about in that 2008 post).  My husband and I agreed whole-heartedly.  We are so comfortable here and feel blessed that we really do feel like owners, not renters.

Having a place to call your own, where your memories reside on shelves and in photo frames, where you can create new memories with family and friends, and, most importantly, where you are grounded and content, is a blessing we never take for granted.

I look forward to many years here in our just right cottage, discovering those avenues of new memories.