Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Thankful Tuesdays: Living in the in between


Our home has been falling apart, bit by bit. It is an old place, and we are actually the third family to have stayed there. When the hubby and I moved in eight years ago, we did very little renovations (since we couldn't afford it), and opted to keep the original fittings in the toilets, as well as some built-in cabinetry and the tiles. We even kept the laminate and parquet flooring to cut on cost!

Fast forward to now, and it comes as no surprise that everything is breaking apart. Ever since we've moved home, the kitchen door has been jammed many times (Junior J has learnt his lesson never to play with the door since he's gotten "locked" into the kitchen a couple of times), the bath door is spoilt, and the kitchen drawers are starting to jam. The tiles are probably more than twenty years old, and are starting to show their age.

Thus far, we've only managed to change the laminate flooring, which was starting to pop out in various places, and that was done when we were still staying in Germany. However, we do see the need to renovate the toilets and kitchen, and a number of furniture pieces need to be replaced. Plus, baby J would be shifting over to join his brother in his room soon, so bunk beds are needed. All in all, quite a few things need to be changed!

I must admit I don't enjoy this in-between stage. Where things need to be done, yet you are scrambling like crazy to find time to get them done. I am unsure of whether to just unpack all our stuff back onto the shelves, or leave them as they are, since we'll need to pack everything up when the walls get painted. Its also quite a pain having to yank the kitchen door off its sliding track just to get Junior J out of the kitchen! 

That being said, this really uncomfortable stage reminds me about how we are waiting for heaven:
"For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked."
-2 Corinthians 5:1-3


And in-between discomfort aside, I am still very thankful for this little space we call home. I am grateful for how this place has housed us comfortably, along with many visiting family members. How these four walls have witnessed the arrival of both our boys, and seen them grow up. 

I am thankful for our battered dining table, which has hosted countless bible study group meetings, and bore the brunt of little hands banging toys and splatting puree all over it. I give thanks for that old sofa, marked with green and purple crayons, that holds so many memories of good books read together. 


I am thankful for the messes and chaos, because it reminds me that this house is a home, and holds people that live and play in it. 

(And meanwhile, I'll try to stay away from design blogs and Pinterest, lest I get envious of those pretty spaces!)

What are you thankful for this week?



Mum in the Making

2 comments:

  1. We live in the oldest (seriously the oldest, and I'm not saying this figuratively!) estate in Singapore, and also did very basic renos when we moved in. Things have been falling apart too! We're going to put grilles up soon and hopefully repaint our room and redo the girls' room so than they can share it.

    We're grateful though for the memories this house will hold for us and the kids. We moved in as a newly Wed couple and made some rad choices like painting our bedroom a deep red. And now with the kids, I just want everything creamy or white and bright!

    There are crayon markings on one wall done by poppy when she was a baby, and we chart their heights on another wall. If we ever move, I would really miss that wall!

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  2. Yes, thanks for the reminder - we live in the now and not yet. :)

    Hang in there - after the Reno you'll get to use nice new stuff!

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