I remember one of the funniest things I ever said on a date with Grant. I say funny as if I am actually funny or something, but my husband got a kick out of this one. We were talking about things that we love.

I asked, ‘What is the thing you love the most about being married.’ He answered with something sweet and cute I’m sure. He asked, ‘What about you.’ And I said, ‘I love the love.’

That’s what I love about being married is that I love. The love that we surround ourselves with in this relationship, is what I love. Now, so many years later, I remember that conversation constantly.

These things we had like the swing, I love them even more now. I love to swing back and forth. It’s keeping you in our home with them. I love filling my home with things that allow me and my children to feel that love.

When I fill our space with things we love, we love the life we have here in this place. Environment is a big deal, but I have to curate my own, for me and my kids for it to work.

I can’t just have someone else decide and create something for me. I need to create what has meaning to us and what we each love individually; then I put it all together. I have utilized each space to try to create that for them and me.

Part of the reason I have created the things that I have, is to use the energy that my kids have. You know, we interact with ADHD diagnosis’. And, I have one child on the spectrum.

There’s a lot of additional challenges that I have in my life that I don’t want to fall into feeling like a victim around. I don’t want to fall into feeling like my life is so much harder than whatever, while comparing it to this, that and the other.

It isn’t a fair comparison. I have intentionally looked at my home with 2 questions: What’s the best use for this? What are the needs that we have? I then work to create utility in the space.

Putting non kitchen things I love in my house and in the middle of my kitchen in a beautiful lovely space, isn’t typical but it fills a need that I and my kids have. The purpose for this particular swing is to create the kind of connection that I want my kids to grow up having.

They can talk to me while in their wiggles. They can distract themselves and still engage with me while we are eating, while I’m making something or even while we are having a family discussion.

I do this with every space in my home. My 3rd question which is also the most important question to me, but the least important in the outcome of it, is how can I make it really beautiful?

I love things that are beautiful.  I want to let myself love things that are beautiful. I want to have things that are beautiful. Seeing the beauty of what’s possible in this life is what helps me to feel alive.