Over the last year we’ve been renovating our first floor living space, with the kitchen and dining room being the main focus. When not sleeping, we spend LOADS of time in those rooms as a family. We cook A LOT. We also home school amidst those rooms.

About a year ago I wrote about the dining room and my ideas for the new space. It was red. It didn’t feel comfortable. It felt like a dining room, not a place to spend time…just living, and a place for living was exactly what I wanted.

I made an inspiration board with my thoughts…the vibe…the colors shifting from reds and warms, to cools and earthy. I wanted it to be inviting and cozy, with a wonderfully lived-in feeling. Here’s the funny part…I made the inspiration board and created a blog post last March. Work began in July with walls being replaced, floors ripped up, and fresh paint everywhere. I started putting the room back together in the fall, and I hadn’t looked at my blog post or inspiration board since….

After it was done, I went and looked at that post and my board….I was shocked at how similar it turned out to the vision I wrote about 6-7 months prior.

One of the only major differences from my initials thoughts for the room were the cool art posters. I decided instead to keep it all personal, with photos and artwork only made by family and dear friends. And I just LOVE the personal feel.

And this table…OH this TABLE…we searched high and low, and I thought I would go crazy looking for the right one for our large family, who often entertains. I wanted a really worn in, salvaged wood, rustic farm table. I just couldn’t find it in our price range. I was reluctant when I first found this guy, 50% off at the Pottery Barn outlet-I just KNEW I wanted OLD with character…but the price with 2 leaves that add-on making it seat 12-14 people?! I was sold. And we’ve loved it since.

We do schooling at this table and have a 40-ft chalkboard wall that runs down the hall right through the room. Would you believe the chalkboard wall was a last minute spontaneous decision? Schooling in there with that wall has been SUCH an awesome blessing. I can’t imagine doing it any other way now!

Thanks for looking. Soon I’ll get around to showing the whole kitchen. Oh man, was that an adventure.

A recent haircut meant that I requested she quickly come outside, so I could snap a couple photos. A minute was too long for her. She had friends waiting next door. She had things to do. She didn’t have two minutes, or even one to offer me. I just kept snapping away.

Although she stands looking me square in the eye at 5′ 7″, she is still only 12 years young, but so full of advice and ideas. She’s beginning to question aspects of life, and I watch her as she tries to figure things out on her own. She has no idea….how much she consumes my mind. My constant thoughts. My motives. I found a turning point within myself months ago, realizing my time left to nurture her was running out. Her impressionable years were shifting- more from being impressed upon by her parents, to the world around her and her peers.

I’m working on being more present with my children, but especially to my daughter. I want to be available for her. I want to set aside time dedicated just to listening. I want to be there when needed for all those confusing things that will be popping up around the corner.

I remind myself of this:

This is not the time to be consumed with work. This is the time to consider my priorities.

I only get one shot at nurturing my daughter…and it’s here…right now.

She has no idea how much she is loved. She has no idea of the prayers offered up in her behalf, or the prayers that I would be a better mother to her. She’s my one and only, my girl, yet she has no idea that she is my inspiration. Perhaps someday, she’ll understand why.