We moved into this home 3 years ago.  After years of dreaming about living closer to Dawn’s family, we had finally made the transition from Arkansas to Pennsylvania.   In the challenge to afford the higher cost of living, Mike and I both found full time jobs within 2 months of arriving.  Mike’s job required that he work every Saturday, my job required LONG hours late into the evenings.  We worked like ants, placing our only child into “after care” programs so that we could chase that illusive dollar longer.

Evenings became dreadful, with exhausted parents attempting to help an attention starved child with gobs and gobs of Homework.  I became so TIRED.  I craved naps, nodded off at work, and drank gallons of coffee to keep up.  As you might guess, this lifestyle was not sustainable, and my Retina inconveniently detached one late Sunday afternoon.  The Retinologist informed me that the recovery process would take 30 days minimally, and that  I would be off work for at Least a month.  We couldn’t believe it, even though the truth was right before my blind left eye.

Surgery was performed, with a nightmare of bleeding, swelling, pain, and despair into the bargain. 

Long story short, I resigned from my salaried job, and began looking for “another way.” 

     Fast forward another year, and we believe ourselves to be living in a completely different home, all because of a total family makeover.   No, we did not move!  But  I now  work from home, and we home educate our 5th grade son.  The benefits are amazing, but that is subject for another post.  For now, I must get back to writing about our Project and the purpose of this post.  Although it has been glorious to stay at home to work, I did take an ENORMOUS pay cut to do so.  This explains why our little Cottage is still not remodeled. 

     We strive to live largely in our home…  to the utmost, with various comforts throughout.  By this, I mean that we use every square inch of our 1400 square foot home.  However, my living room still has glue on the walls from the Wallpaper Removal Marathon my husband and I had months ago.   Things happened, and he ran out of free time to finish washing the glue off, and then painting.  And the money was tight… But.It.Will.Happen… Someday. 

    I had accepted this, accepted living with a messy Living Room in Limbo, being embarrassed every time someone stopped by unexpectedly.   

To be blunt, I left my vacuum cleaner out just to have the excuse that I was “cleaning” when unexpected persons arrived on my doorstep. 

    Well, NO MORE!  My 40 Days Project Challenge has spurred me on to Repentance.  Today, my son and I rolled up our sleeves and DID IT!  We made our Living Room a place of comfort, purpose, and beauty!  I am RELIEVED!  The walls are still covered in glue, but now, the ambience is Gorgeous… Comforting, Loving, and Peaceful.  It only took ONE Day!   We did not purchase anything new, but merely shopped from our other rooms to bring this room together.  I plan to dim the lights when distinguished guests are here, but for now, we shall ENJOY our Cottage!