so…. before this post you should listen to this song… Home by Edward Sharp.
maybe open it in another window and litsen to it while you read.
ok.
songs is on… ready to go?
we moved to this little farm house rental in march.
it's cozy and we love it here.
in case you don't know our back story or forgot…. we moved to be in smaller community, closer to our kids' school and to use the other house for craft weekends. it was such a big decision but has been nothing less than awesome.
our bedroom at the (now) Craft House was a ridiculously LARGE room.
it made no sense to have a bedroom that big…it was GIANT.
but of course we also got very used to that size of room after 7.5 years.
and now our bedroom is more of normal to smallish size and has also taken some readjusting too.
and it's just fine.
we got our bed when we first moved to the craft house.
and craig has said several times "i can't believe you haven't painted it yet"
someday….
but who has time for that? not me right now.
and it's fine how it is.
we have my grandmother's night stands that she had in her bedroom my whole life.
she always had her rotary dial phone where i have my computer. :)
the bottom part pulls out to give more space or tucks in if you don't want it.
mine is always out and filled with junk… over flowing onto the floor and all around.
while's craig's is tucked in with nothing on or around it.
that is such a true picture of US.
🙂
we have room for one dresser in the corner and we each have a closet.
i decided to hang my jewelry on the wall because there is no other place and because it's pretty.
my jar of heart rocks…such a fun collection over the all the years of motherhood.
my "be intentional" art work was several years ago by Jeanne Oliver.
what got me determined to take care of our room and make it a priority after 9 months of not…
even though it's a rental…
was because of this sign from Between You & Me…. with the lyrics from a song that remind me of our decision to move and take crazy steps to do what we needed for our family.
as we tried to make those big decisions last spring that song was on the radio at all the right times.
and i would smile and know that we were doing the right thing.
all we needed was each other.
no matter where we lived… we were HOME.
so i hung the sign first and then worked around it with pictures of us over the last 21 years.
we have been married for 18 years but dated for three years before we got married.
this print from Studio Mela was the perfect touch.
the butterfly pillows are at target right now.
they needed to live at the farm too.
pictures from our first prom, our wedding, our favorite vacations, our 10 year anniversary trip and family pictures all hang here.
this is a special wall.
it's sacred ya know?
marriage is a really big deal.
you vow to stay together FOREVER.
until you die.
so… it really should be honored and cherished and nutured.
surrounding us with reminders of where we came from, who we are and are becoming is one way to do that.
between You & Me has a pretty shop filled with signs you will love!
if you go to her shop and use the code WHATEVER you will get 10% off your purchase in january.
that is awesome!!
tara YOU are awesome.
so… go look it over and find the sign that would spark some creativity in your home.
yay for discounts!
yay for rockin' hot marriages!
yay for teeny farm house bedrooms!
🙂
lindsie - Can you please te me what the name is of the green paint in your room…I love it…lindsielou@charter.net
Su@TheIntentionalHome - can’t wait to check out the song. . .my hubby and my song. . the song we danced to at our wedding is You’re My Home by Billy Joel. . .same thought that wherever he is and we are together is home. . .I wrote a post titled 10 Quotes to Inspire You to Create a Home You Love. . reminds me of this post cause #10 is the Billy Joel song. # 9 is a Be Intentional piece of art I made. . .thought you might like to check out the other quotes: http://www.susoutter.com/2012/03/10-quotes-to-inspire-you-to-create-home.html
misty - Loved every word of this blog post. It made me teary eyed, in a good way. I love to hear about peoples love stories & love to hear about GOOD marriages and hear others talk about marriage being sacred. AMEN.
Your room is so pretty. I just loved every single picture. Thanks you for posting this.
Brooke - Love your cozy little room…and your fun wall!! Love that you cherish your marriage. Life is hard sometimes…you have to turn to your husband. Love your art. Super cute.
April R - /\ Ditto katy
Heidi Jo the Artist - Perfect song for this post and for every family! And congrats for staying strong in your marriage through 18+ years! I love to know couples that are still married and have stuck to their vows. Sadly, my husband and I have known so many that haven’t… Love all the pillows and pretty quilt on your bed too, and of course the jewelry displayed on the wall is the bomb. 🙂
Rach - I’m with Craig… I’m surprised you haven’t painted it either. Gorgeous wall. I have one like that too that I treasure and yes, marriage is sacred. I always try to put it first.
Tonya - Love the post….and the quilt on the bed 🙂
Jen - We just decided to take a leap of faith and move to be closer to my husband’s family. We have had a terribly difficult year due to some things that happened between the neighbor boys and our daughters. I have been back & forth on if this is the right decision…my husband built this house we live in and this is HOME. I so needed to read this post today. I will be purchasing that same sign you have in your bedroom. I think it’s a must have for our next HOME. Thank you for the inspiration, Meg!
Corey Bugni - I love this post and the ideas! thanks Meg! I am also crying because I love the butterfly pillows and Target doesn’t seem to carry the same ones anymore. If you have a link to where they are, I would love it!! Have a great weekend.
Corey
Alisha - I LOVE IT!!! You’ve just inspired me. We live in an OLD farmhouse rental as well and our room is just like yours. VERY small and quaint, but just enough. I haven’t done ANYTHING with it because, well, I just didn’t know WHAT to do with it, but I love your ideas of the pictures of the two of you. …and your jewelry knobs. It’s great!
Jenn - THAT SONG… One of my favorites. It played during our dear friend’s funeral slide show last year and every time I hear it I get this crazy mix of joy and sadness at the same time. But definitely more joy for a life well lived with the ones we love!! Very cool print. I love all the photos around it!
Michelle - LOVE. the song, the artwork, the story…everything.
I met my future husband when I was 11 (he was and still is my brother’s best friend), we started dating when I was 15, and we got married when I was 18. Here we are now 18+ years later, and I am still thankful that I get to spend everyday of my life with this man. Thanks for the reminder. It’s inspiring to read of others who have “rockin’ hot marriages.” And you’ve inspired me to finally print out and display some of our favorite pics together, create my own “love” wall.
Dani - I needed this today. My husband and I are making a huge decision about our marriage right now. I don’t want to give up 15 years of marriage and your post just showed me that!
Thank you, MEG!!!
Shelly - Love.Love.Love this post!!! It’s beautiful, inspirational, heart-warming, and sooooo full of love. Thank you! And, I couldn’t help but notice your “Not A Fan” book. Kyle is my preacher. That sermon series was AWESOME!!!! The book is AWESOME!! Kyle is a very special, God-filled human being!!
Tracy Fisher - you said exactly how i feel today. loved your words. and by the way, you and craig have the same side table characteristics and greg and i have… his has a clock and a remote… mine has my life on a bedside table. made me giggle. have a great day. -tracy
katie - what a great idea…i’m inspired to do the same!
Mickie Lara - LOVE everything about this post. The emphasis on family, marriage (and you are always good to remind me about that… we are 21 years too) and home. I tend to get a little too hung up on the house part of the home but you are so right. It is really just wherever we are. Love it!
Jen - Yea for rockin’ hot marriages is right!
Penny - Whenever I refer to something on this blog, I will say to my family, “You know Meg, who has Waffle…” Ha!
Lori Austin - Your bedroom is perfectly perfect.
Love your grandmother’s side table.
This space just seems so happy. 🙂
Amanda Brown - This post is inspirational because I just started working on an art collage for our bedroom! Being married is the BEST, even in difficult times…
Kim Barlow - I know this blog is not about curse words but..girl…you kick a**. XO
Penny - We have been married 29 years and we have lived in small apartments, a mobile home, a very tiny house with three children and then a bigger house. Every single place we lived I made it our home. No matter if we were renting, buying or what. It was our home. And I will tell you I have been happy at every single place we have lived. Now of course I dreamed of our own home when we were renting. I dreamed of a house when we were in that moblie home. But I was happy every place we lived. Now that we have a larger home with lots of space our girls are growing up and moving on. Isn’t that the way life is! Some of the happiest memories I have are the days with our three little girls in our tiny little rental!
Angela A - Oh Meg, the room is beautiful. The decor is so you, the colors are awesome together,and it is such an awesome tribute to your marriage. Thank you for inspiring us to celebrate our own marriages! This year is our 15th anniversary, and we dated for 7 years before that. Our room is sort of us–but you’ve given me some ideas on something to do to honor this special anniversary.
Tiffany - “yay for rockin’ hot marriages!”… You’re too cute! I’m so glad you are both blessed with eachother. Thanks for the reminder about putting marriage first. With two little ones and full time jobs I need reminders often since there are so many other things to do. My hubby and I need to go on more dates.
It was fun seeing a snapshot of your home now. Darling. 🙂
happygirl - I always wondered how the Craft House came to be. I love your wall of memories. I’ve been married 30 years. I agree with the forever of marriage. 🙂
Angie - I totally now want my jewelry displayed on the wall!
lauren - i already knew you were a woman after my own heart…then i saw the ragamuffin gospel on your book pile…amen. i was about to tell my daughter something i read or saw on your blog the other day and i started to say, “my friend….i mean…on this blog i read…” you have a gift for drawing people in and then you give good, real stuff for them see. i may never meet you but i’m sure you’re a great friend.
stephany @ home is what you make it - I listen to this song over and over on repeat. Did it today while running errands with my little girl.
My cousin and his new wife had this song playing as the song after their wedding ceremony on the shores of a lake in Northern Idaho. My favorite uncle, who owns the house and officiated the ceremony, danced up the stairs with my aunt and had tears in his eyes.
Anyway, great song, great memories, great post.
Thanks for sharing!
melodee - wow! your room is great! love all of the details and your always so nice and crisp photos….and your necklace collection…to die for!
Carol S. - Super sweet post. We hit 25 in April. And made a major move this year (from Chicago of all places!) This hits home. Thanks Meg.
Sarah{Handbags*N*Pigtails} - Hmmmm…I sort of love this post… ALOT:) I’m a big fan of investing in marriage. So often the kids come along and we focus solely on them, kind of neglecting our spouse. But when the kids grow and leave its back to just the two of you. I want to cherish my hubby more then than I did on our wedding day. Marriage is so hard and yet one of the best gifts God ever created. Your room is a tribute to that. Thanks for reminding us all:)
katy - favorite. post. ever.
love the music as a background.
love. love. love.
Jacci in Ohio - YYYAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
🙂
I am SO thrilled you posted photos of the farmhouse! It is PERFECT. So perfectly you! Different… in such a different home… but so you. And that is why I *love* it. And I love your sign. And your voice for marriage.
God has made you rad, rad, rad.
Charly - I smiled throughout the entire song! I now want my hubby to come home so we can dance to it in the living room with a three year old and two dogs running Around us! AND, your bedroom looks great!
Mary - i love how you went with what you had and just made it so, so, so special.
sometimes i just feel like i have to wait until the walls are painted…or the bedding is just right, but NOW is the time to cherish.
now is the time to celebrate.
you’re so good at celebrating the NOW, meg.
i adore that about you.
and i LOVE taras work.
on my list. for sure.
now i want to spruce up our room!
xo
Kerstie Pederson - Yay for you too! 😉 I love your blog!!!!
Aimee - I love, love, love this post. And it’s all so do-able and accessible. Very inspiring.
Mary Jo - I love the butterfly pillows!
Shara - Thanks so much for sharing Meg!! You’ve totally inspired me(along with countless others~) to do something like this. The walls in my bedroom are begging me!
Becky @ Farmgirl Paints - i love that you have reminders of how precious marriage is. the butterflies had me at hello and that artwork is awesome! love tara. very sweet. wondering about the rest of the room. a past christmas present comes to mind;)
tonya - love this post…and the song! i keep our bedroom free of pictures of the kids…just pictures of me and my man!
tara - marriage is a REALLY big deal.
It is sacred. It if FOREVER.
I love the wall of you and your man, and I love that the sign is a reminder of something God has done in the life of your family with the move to the farm house.
you’re awesome. thanks for hanging one of our signs in your home!
Marsha Kern - I love your room and your style, it is perfect! We live in the country too and we love it!
Kristin S - I absolutely love your room! The wall is perfect. I love that you have that prom photo on there. Good reminders of God’s faithfulness.
And now I’m considering simple row of hooks for my necklaces! I forget what I have and end up wearing the same things over and over.
Beautiful, Meg.
Kristina Abel - So funny that you have that sign. My girlfriend and I made wood signs and that’s what I’m putting on mine and hanging in my living room. Thanks for sharing you colorful and cozy room. 🙂
shelby - I need a chenille bedspread like that! My grandma always had them on the twin beds I slept in at her house!
Bopha - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L64c5vT3NBw Please tell me you have watched this! This is where I first heard the song and fell in love. This rendition melts my heart. Love your “love” inspired room-that’s the way a bedroom should look!
Lisa - Hi Meg
I usually don’t comment on your blog because you get SOO many, and I’m not always sure you even see them all, but today I want to.
This post has inspired me. Why is it that once you have kids all the photos are just about kids and family (please understand I adore my kids!!!). My husband and I have bee married for almost 28 years and I still feel sometimes like we are the 17 year olds when we first started dating. I WANT A SPECIAL LOVE WALL like you, and so I shall now have one ;). Thank you!!
Kerry - oh meg…… i’ve read the post 3 times with the song playing in the background. feeling really emotional right now – what a beautiful post. this is JUST what I needed right now. Thank you so much xxx
ann - Meg your room is so adorable, cozy, and full of your personality! Love it all. You are right, marriage is a sacred thing to be honored and treasured. Great post! Hugs from Chicagoland, Ann
Abbie Swartzentruber - Ok Meg, you got me hooked on the butterfly pillows – but I can’t find them anywhere at target.com??? I am gonna have to go searching for them – your room turned out cozy and sweet:)!!
mary - your room is beautiful…you have that decorating gene, that can pull together any place and make it visually pleasing.
ali moll - I love this post Meg! And I love the room! The pics and sign are the perfect finishing touch. You have such a knack for decorating – I LOVE YOUR STYLE! Have a fabulous day! Hugs!
beki - you’re awesome 🙂
jennt - i LOVE you room! It is so vibrant and happy but also so cozy
I am always stumped with what to do with our bedroom…..
lisa - So sweet! Love it. And I love your rocks. I have a jar from my girls, too. I wrote about it here if you’re interested. 🙂 Funny how something as basic as a rock can be so special!
http://thebrighterside-lisa.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-rocks.html
Lennie Jackson - You make me want to redo our bedroom! Great post….I LOVE the prom pic!!!!
danielle - This made me want to stop what I am doing and go make an art wall in my bedroom of my husband and I! Totally doing this! I keep a big landscape above our bed taken on our first getaway from the boys but I would love this also! Beautiful room!
ranee - loved this post and that wall is beautiful! you have inspired me to start a “love wall” of my own!
Juli - Awesome. Yes, that bed begs to be deep teal. 😉
Angela - Thank you for choosing to declare the truth – marriage is precious and WORTH IT. I have only been married for 2.5 years, but I am thankful for the examples that God has surrounded me with – people I know (My parents and my in-laws have been married for 30 years, my grandparents for 54 this April.) and people I don’t (YOU!). 🙂 Have a beautiful Thursday, Meg!
Amber - Yay for rockin’ hot marriages indeed. I’m all inspired to put up pictures of me and my hubby all over the place.
sam - Love this post. We celebrated our 25th anniversary last year and have had seven different homes in that time. I recently repainted our bedroom and, for the first time in 25 years, am working on making it more of OUR room. I plan to make a similar sign with our marriage vows on it and have been scouring our photo boxes for pictures of us over the past 27 years to do something very similar. So fun!
tiffany gardner - once again… you never fail to encourage. i am so glad that i found your blog a couple of years ago. you truly are a part of my days. my friend who doesn’t know me.
i thank God for you.
Meredith - Seeing your collection of photos of you and your husband makes my heart happy. I should do this in my bedroom too. Also, those butterfly pillows are amazing. I NEED those in my life.
Regina - I love, love, LOVE this post! It speaks my life in every word. We have lived in a rental and in a city that I’m not too crazy about for the past two years. We still have our house in another state (where I would MUCH rather live), but because my husband had a wonderful career opportunity HERE, that is where we are…ALL of us. There was much discussion about only him moving here and commuting back and forth (so that the kiddos could stay in their schools and near friends), but that just felt like we would be “divorced”…NOT an option! Thank you, thank you, thank you for this timely post….a wonderful reminder of WHY we live here, it just wouldn’t be the same without the whole family under one roof…outdated rental or not. Hugs and success to you, Meg!
Dana @ Bungalow'56 - Such wonderful sentiments here Megan. A wonderful post.
Dana
Susan - Thank you for sharing! I have a heart rock collection too! Most of mine came from around the cabin where we stay each year in Colorado.
Shannon - Love those butterfly pillows! You made the perfect space for you and your hubby including family photos and fun signs. As always love all the fun colors you use in your decorating 🙂
Janet C - Love this post, made even better listening to your special song.
Gina - LOVE!! Such a special collection hanging on the wall but the sentiment even better. 🙂
wendi - I love how God uses unexpected things to nail the point he is making. Today He used you.
Flower Patch Farmgirl - I LOVE this! We have never really put much into our bedroom — even here in this new house. It’s always the last priority and I have grown sick of it!
I love that you have your history right there on the wall.
I wish we could double date. You remind me of us. If that makes sense. Marriage is ebb and flow, but HE is my home.
(Also? You’re reading Ragamuffin?????????????? Put it on the list. Or actually, start reading so we can put it on the list.)
🙂
elma - Love this post to!!!
I love her shop to and have the family rules sign and one Christmas one!!
Lisa M. - Loved this post. Thanks for sharing such a personal part of yourself.