My Dreamer

Recently I have been going down memory lane. Working on family photo books. Just finished 2007. A tad behind. BUT I don't go in order sooooo it isn't as bad as it seems! I have 2010 and 2011 done already:) However that really isn't the point.

Back to 2007. 

The year we graduated college.

 

And became parents.

 

The year we bought our first house.

 

 

But that isn't what our house looked like the day we bought it. That picture was from the day we sold it (in 2011).  After it had been transformed by my husband. My dreamer.

 

See this is our house on the day we purchased it.....

 

A little scary, right? The house was so so so ugly that our realtor thought Joe was joking when he told her we wanted to put an offer on it. But he was serious. Because he saw the potential and he believed that we could make this house great. He dreamed of making it a home for us. Our little family of three.

 

And he did! Let me give you a little tour of our house. A house that was completely transformed into a home by my dreamer. Some before and after pictures:

 

The Front Porch

Joe actually liked the yellow and was reluctant
 to change it, but we both LOVED it afterwards.

 

 

The Living Room

 

 

The Kitchen



More than any other room, this room was our biggest accomplishment!
We did all the work ourselves...mostly Joe:) We put our blood, sweat
and tears into this room. Or at least our vomit, sweat and tears...



 

 

The Dining Room

Different angles. Same room. I promise:)

 

 

The Mud Room

Initially we didn't know what do to do with this space.
In the end it became one of the most useful rooms in our house!

 

 

Isaiah's Room

 

 

 

The Upstairs Bathroom



 





If this doesn't scream "Perfect place to bathe your
 3 month old'' then I don't know what does!
 

 

Master Bedroom

 

 

The Basement Bathroom

 

 

 

Pretty amazing, right?!? Even though I lived there AND lived through the transformation process, I can hardly believe it. I mean, my husband did THAT?! A man that prior to buying this house knew next-to-nothing about carpentry, plumbing, tile laying, electrical work and general home repair. At the beginning of that journey he owned a hammer and a screwdriver and his prior handy-man experience consisted of painting and fixing a leaky sink in our previous rental. Yet, he believed he could do it and he did! He is a dreamer and do-er. 

 

That house was a great first home for us. It is where we learned to be parents. It is where we lived while I trained to become a PA. Where we became a family of 4.  Those walls contain A LOT of memories for us. Mostly good. Some bad. And while it was sad to leave it was also good. Bittersweet really. Because leaving meant we were chasing my husband's next dream. The dream of becoming a doctor. 

 

And now two years into this medical training process, I look back at that house and I am reminded my husband dreams big dreams and accomplishes them.  I need that reminder. Because somedays I think this training process is never going to end. That he is never going to be an actual doctor. That this journey is just too big.  That we can't do it. But if that house can become a home, then I know without a doubt that my husband can accomplish this dream too.