Mrs. Pregnant in the Lowcountry: Sept 21- Sept 27, 2013 (The House That Built Me)

6 acres in Hollywood, SC

This was a defining week for our family. Saturday, Sept 21st, we had to hurry to get out of the house for yet another house showing. Little did we know that it would be THE ONE! The feedback from the showing came immediately and it wasn't positive. "no laundry room, backyard not configured as buyer desired." Ugh, I thought. So much to our surprise, they wanted to come back for a second showing. Little did the buyers know that this was our only second showing since our home was on the marketing. So, we packed up again and cleaned, made the house pretty and prayed this would be the one.

Caroline's Room

Though a long week of negotiations, questions, and heart-ache/excitement (let's just call it emotions), we had a deal. We were set to close on Nick's Birthday! And we indeed closed on Nick's birthday (the advantage yet again of writing this much delayed).

Tillman's Room

We called Hollywood home for 5 years (tears for mommy). This house has likely been one of the biggest lessons for me, a "grow up" moment, a marriage challenger, and a blessing in disguise. While I view it as a mistake of moving out to the country, a mistake is always a blessing. Had I not had to live with this mistake, I wouldn't be half the person I am today, and your parents' marriage wouldn't be as strong as it is today either. There's a country song that is titled "the house that built me." I really believe that this is that place. It will hold a special spot in my heart.

The den AKA play room

In November of 2008 when we moved to this house, I didn't know how we were going to pay the bills. It was a way bigger mortgage than we'd ever tackled, and we had renovations ahead of us to make it our "dream home." Nick was the "general contractor" for the project and had very few "sub" help. The renovation lasted a full year (we lived upstairs in now Caroline's room and our bathroom was our kitchen, restroom, and only source of water). We had our first family "get together" for Thanksgiving 2009, and two short months later, I was pregnant with Tillman.

Dinning room (time out is to the right of the china cabinet)

This house built our marriage through many counseling session. All of the issues were underlying, but the stress of the house caused us to face them. I don't feel our relationship faced anything unique, but the house gave us the extra push to seek help. We learned many tools to carry us through the walks of life together and as parents. We sought counseling before the birth of Tillman and then again before Caroline was born. We've luckily been on cruise control for a while now, and we've met one of our biggest goal in counseling-selling the house!

Living room
(where both kids slept in their Moses baskets & swing)

This house built our family of 4! We brought Tillman and Caroline "home" to this house. Hollywood is all they know as home. I do believe that home is where family is, so I hope they will find comfort in calling the next place home. (Tillman already knows his new address)

Kitchen-over looking the back yard where the kids play)

As we spend our last week at our Hollywood Home, I feel blessed to have been faced with the challenges and growth this house brought to me, my marriage, and my family.