Coming Home to Difficult Decisions That Create More Abundance in Life

My husband and I had the good fortune of going back to the home we built/renovated and raised our family in for almost a decade. This home was a dream of ours, and we put our hearts into it. Within the walls and grounds of the residence, we built the most amazing memories with our children in their growing years. This beauty you see was the vision we had when we first looked at the house which was a worn, single-story ranch-style home that needed a full renovation and update.

The location of this property is was drew me in.

I will never forget going to the Open House when it was a ranch. It did not have curb appeal, and the interior needed updating, but I saw the vision immediately. The location was special, and to have a flat lot, in a beautiful area in the town we were raising our kids was so appealing. I immediately said to my husband “Let’s buy it.”

We were not seriously looking at the time as we lived in a fairly new home. But we wanted more privacy, more land, and our dream home. He rejected as he does in every home sale. But I persisted and cast a vision with him of what it could be. We made an offer that night so that we could make this our home. The rest is history. We did some renovations before we moved in to make it comfortable until we could do a major renovation.

Our kids were little, and moving into this home and location was exciting.

Upon entering Boardman Lane, it felt like the Hampton’s of the North Shore. However, our home needed to transform, and our vision was to make it one of the most beautiful homes on the street. More importantly, it was to create beautiful memories & moments with our kids.

We wanted to create a 2 story shingle-style home, and for it to look like properties you see on Nantucket or MV. I can remember I had a binder full of magazine pictures that reflected my taste. With 2 kids in preschool and 1 in Kindergarten, it was a place and space where we built magical memories. Those memories and this home are so special. it is indeed magical.

We hired one of the best architects on the North Shore and began our journey and vision of creating our Dream Home.

The only thing missing for us was the ocean. That was our long-term dream and desire from the beginning. The vision was a beautiful shingle-style home, open space, coastal vibe, and accommodating family living, and entertaining. It would have modern amenities yet classic style. The source of inspiration was many, but specifically the Harborview Hotel in MV (where we stay) and the movie “As Good as it Gets” (East Coast/Hamptons Vibe).

While renovating is hard, and we actually lived there during it, we loved the process.

This is the time in our lives that we built our Dream Home. Friends still refer to my Kitchen. It was amazing and most certainly a Dream Kitchen, designed by another Mom in town who happens to be a sought-after kitchen designer across the country. She is so talented).

We loved this home, the interiors, the land, & location. It was a dream come true! In 2012, we still had projects on the home to do. There was some landscaping and we wanted a pool.

But the excitement of doing more wore off.

I knew if we wanted this, I had to work like I did a few years previously, and that did not appeal to me. I suggested to my husband we consider selling the property. He thought I was crazy, and insisted we stay. We loved this home, but I hit the wall. My spark and energy to do projects outside were not there, and my vision (the bigger one) was to live by the ocean.

I wanted to downsize and most importantly, I wanted a home in our town that did not need any work (and then we could save for that second home by the beach). Looking back now, it was my gut telling me, you’ve got to release this so that you can simplify and have more down the road. I convinced Charlie that this would be a smart decision, and we decided we would put it on the market. If it were not to sell, we were meant to stay.

This was a difficult decision.

But I had a gut feeling it was the right one. Leaving this home was so hard. I can remember crying as I pulled out of the driveway the last time. I was leaving my baby behind, and I was closing the door on the place that held my family, was home to my babies, and a reflection of my heart & soul.

While the selling process was not easy (because it is emotional) the end result was a family new to town, that loved the home as we did. I wanted them to enjoy it as much as we did. I also had to explain the value of the home, the vibe, the good juju, and the amazing views from every room. I knew in my heart it was a gem, and my wishes for them were sincere in that they enjoy it as much as we did, and they see the value in it as they would update the landscape and install a gorgeous pool.

I had the good fortune to connect with the owner, and we stay in touch each year.

Seeing her make this home even better, is a nod to how each home has a story, and we are all part of it. Some might think, I would be closed off to them, or resent that this was now their home. My spirit was and is quite the opposite. I made a choice to be positive, to be happy for them, and as such, she and I have a special relationship where we both love the home and respect that we are both parts of it. It truly is the best feeling.

They made it even better, and they welcome me back and make me feel at home. As I walk through the space, it feels like home. It is so familiar and I can remember so many memories from design decisions, to delicious dinners, and everyday family living.

The fireplace is original to the house. It is huge, and we have had so many roaring fires, which include wonderful gatherings and conversations with family and friends. We hosted so many holidays and get-togethers. At one time, it was a great place for business events & socials where I would host my team for bigger events.

While all that was incredible, we were entering a phase of wanting to do less.

We did not want to always have parties and entertain. We wanted to simplify. This was in a way, an opportunity to simplify our living. It was a time in our life, and while “home” is something that is sacred to me, life does change, and being open to that change is part of all of our stories and journeys.

Here is the big lesson of this story….

There was a reason we sold our Dream Home even at the time it was with such ambivalence. We landed in a great location with a pool that suited our family just perfectly. Had we not made this decision, Charlie would never have started his business Guyer Group which has been an incredible opportunity for him and our family.

Sometimes we need to let go of something really good, to create space for something really great. We are in our next phase and ultimately are in the place we have always wanted to be, a coastal home by the beach. Is this the end of the story? No, because this dreamer just does not stop. But I am in this magical place of gratitude. While we have had several moves and homes, each one is near and dear to my heart, and each one was never a house, it was always a home.

I am so grateful I had the chance to “come home”.

My baby on Boardman is just beautiful and even better than when I left her. She will go on to host generations of families, and incredible memories. I have to believe the love put into her will always be a part of her vibe.