Most days this spot in our house probably goes unnoticed by the routine of dropping the mail or the busyness of heading to the next thing. But it’s so special to me.
It’s my mama. This simple space is her place in my home.
As I was preparing to move out with my friends, she wanted to do all she could to make the transition as easy as possible. Although the exhaustion from chemotherapy prevented her from lifting heavy objects or rearranging rooms, she made sure to take care of me throughout the process. Along with other pieces of furniture and household necessities, she gave me this table and this wreath and told me, “I think this is the perfect thing right for your front door! That way there’s no wasted space, and it’s the perfect place to put your keys as you come and go.”
That’s her- simple, practical, helpful. She always said she wasn’t creative, but I always think my creativity comes from her.
It’s here where I throw my keys as I come home from work or grab them before taking a walk to teach pure barre. It’s here where one of our first photos as roommates sits, with the smiles and hopes of all that was to come in this new season of adulting. It’s here where these wonky candlesticks sit that serve as a funny reminder of one of our first memories as a group of friends and the visual representation of our random wifi password. It’s here where something so simple holds so much that is special.
As I move into this next phase of homeownership, I’m thankful for the daily reminder that my mom is still with me. I’m thankful for the principles she instilled in me: that a house is not a collection of walls built to protect from all that is outside. A home is a place you create where people enter for refuge, rest, and real conversations.
When my parents renovated our childhood home, my mom put a Bible in the foundation as it was poured. She prayed a blessing over our house that it would be a place where those who entered would flourish and feel safe. She prayed that people would encounter their Heavenly Father through conversation and that they would feel a peace inside our home.
I want that for this house too. I want this home to be a place that hosts gatherings and groups for the happiest days and the hardest moments. I want to be the place that friends become more like family, and the place where everyone knows they are welcome.
I want to be the place where people encounter Jesus, because they feel His presence here.
My mama is still with me, and I know she is cheering me on in this next season. I would trade it all to have her here, but I know that in so many ways, she still is.
xox
ellie
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