My oldest daughter Bethany and her hubby Darren are building a new house.
If you’re a house lover like I am you might find the process ever so interesting! Watching from afar, I’m struck by all the love and effort they’ve put into this project and can’t help seeing the similarities between building a home and building a family from the ground up—both are daunting and take focus, energy and hard work…but both yield a rich reward and are so worth the work.
They purchased a lot in the neighborhood they wanted to live in and patiently waited a year before they started building…
The little house on the property was in disrepair which was just fine since Bethany & Darren needed to tear it down to make a place for their new home… 
Yikes…just like on that show Extreme Home Makeovers! Remember when they used to tear down every house!???
Have any of you ever built a house from the ground up? Darren had a hand in designing every inch of the house. I love hearing him talk about how he decided where every closet, window and door would go…
I think it’s kinda wonderful to have a say in all the details of your home…
Oh, and here’s a peek at sweet Hartley, she has no idea about all the work it’s taking to build her new house…she just knows she’ll get to live there soon…
Isn’t this a beautiful roof line? You can begin to imagine how it will look…
The outside will be stone and painted brick – although it’s new, they want the house to fit into the neighborhood which is full of older homes….
Here’s the progress as it is now. That stone is even more amazing in person…every piece has been chisled and put together like a puzzle!
I’ll be bringing you updates soon, we’ll go inside next time!
Sending love my friends & if you’ve ever built a house I’d love to hear about it!
xo
Oh, I love how it looks so far.
We should follow the progress I love these projects! It looks beautiful, I’ll be watching.
Robin the home is simply gorgeous but even more so is your daughter (who looks just like you!) and her sweet family. I can already sense the live that will live in that home because of the love they seem to share evening a picture. And like all parents, we never want anything more for our children than for them to know true love, to give it, receive it and share it, starting with a true love for the Lord. May this new home be filled with lots of happy times and memories and exist as a place where the Lord resides and those within it’s walls abide with Him. Blessings to all in this time of new beginnings.
Ginger, my friend…I agree with your prayer that their home be filled with lots of happy times and memories where God resides and those within the walls abide with Him…wonderful – amen xo
Crazy auto correct! In sentence two I meant “love that will live” and also “even in a picture” not evening! Technology can be wonderful and frustrating all at once. It does make one learn patience and how to laugh at yourself. Either way, I wish the new family great blessings of Joy and Love in this home where they are have planted their hearts and future.
Ginger I knew exactly what you meant! xo
It is beautiful! Can’t wait to see the inside!!!
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing. It is great seeing homes and relationships rebuilt. Blessings and building!
I love how in the first photo the middle peak looks like it is kind of just there, then the stone is added and that same peak just pops out there and says “hey, look at me!”. This is going to be a gorgeous home. Can’t wait to follow along! Thanks for sharing.
Felicia, you’re right!!! The stone really does bring out the wow factor in those peaks! xo
So exciting! Our daughter and her husband just moved in their newly built home a few months ago. It’s beautiful, but the thing like best is they are only 3 minutes up the road…
Blessings,
Cindy
Cindy, that IS the best thing! To have them so close will be wonderful! ox
Just can’t wait to see it!!! And little Hartley is so precious. BTW, she’s wearing a fur vest. I pulled one out of the back of my closet and wore it the other day. Katie couldn’t believe it–she says they’re back in style now. 🙂
So much love to you and yours!
How exciting!! Can’t wait to see more!!~~
What a beautiful home! I can’t wait to take a peek inside. The first two homes I lived in were built by us. One in 1978 and the other in 1986. It was a lot of work, sometimes frustrating, but oh so much fun in picking out the details we wanted.
What a beautiful family and a beautiful home. The house I grew up in was built by my daddy ~ it took him 7 years but he did everything himself. We have pictures of the building process. I didn’t appreciate all that went into our home until I was older but it was absolutely amazing. He cleared the property using nothing but an axe and a saw ~ it was originally an apple orchard. There are pictures of him using hoists and pulleys to put the beams in place. He built it before the internet and I have some of the books he used ~ Learn Plumbing, etc. 🙂 He was an amazing man and our home was beautiful ~ 17 rooms all decorated by my mother who was a buyer for a department store and had impeccable taste. Your post brought back so many wonderful memories and I know your daugher and her family will be beyond happy in their new home.
MaryBeth…WOW!!! I can’t believe your dad built your childhood home! That’s absolutely amazing, what a talented man…could that be where you get all your creativity my friend? Well, it could have also been from your mom since she was a buyer for a dept store! What a family! Sending love my friend xo
It’s beautiful! And, your daughter is too — she looks just like you! We have built a home from the ground up — in fact we’ve built 3. We’ve moved a lot! It is nice to have a lot of say – but there are still so many compromises. Anxious to see the inside — I love looking at homes! While building can be stressful, please tell your daughter and her husband to enjoy the process. It is fun too! Wishing the best of luck to your daughter and her family in their new home!
Genny, thank you! I’ll tell her what you said! They are picking out furniture pieces now so they can see the light at the end of the tunnel!!! ox
Your daughter looks just like you!
Love the pictures. Can’t wait to see the finished house and home!!
Love it and can’t wait to see how their home comes to life….what a wonderful way to build a family home 🙂
I agree with Ginger there is nothing more satisfying than to see your children grow up to be adults you can be so proud of, especially when God is the center of their family. You daughter and family are beautiful and I am sure their new home will be filled with lots of love and many precious memories.
Betty, so true! Knowing our grown children are living close to the Father gives such peace doesn’t it? Sending love my friend xo