In the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle, we packed up and moved, eager to celebrate Christmas in our new home. This was our first major move without a baby on my hip. Throughout our marriage, we have relocated numerous times—across town, across the street, even across the country and back. However, this particular move felt remarkably easy. Moving from a smaller space to a larger one often helps, but there was something inherently peaceful about this transition compared to our previous experiences. We had our moments of irritation. We didn’t always agree on what belonged in the goodwill pile versus what should be packed. Despite these disagreements, the overall process was surprisingly smooth.

After a quick house search and a speedy purchase, our family rushed into our new home with a mixture of excitement and disbelief at how quickly everything had come together. We transitioned from a cozy 1,600 square feet to a spacious 3,000 feet of living space to enjoy. While the layout is a bit different from what we initially were looking for, we fell in love with the floor plan and the long term flexibility. The open floor plan promotes a sense of togetherness while still offering separate areas for relaxation and have activities. The walkout basement is bright and open. It also backs up to a little creek, which I know will become a favorite spot for our kids. So here we are, just a couple weeks into our new home. The year is about to end, but it is filled with anticipation for the memories we will create and the holiday traditions we will begin in this space.