going home & going through changes

Lately I've been making changes. I've been growing up, getting to know myself better, and creating a home that feels more like mine. Husband and I recently went to my parent's house to dog-sit while they went out of town, and I was surprised to find that their house doesn't feel like home anymore.

Mom's sweet puppy, Cali

I've been putting lots of effort into making our little house feel more like ours, and it wasn't until we returned to it after our weekend away that I realized it had transformed from a sweet house we were leasing for the next two years into my home. When I walked in the door to mom and dad's, that sense of relief and contentment that only comes from going home didn't wash over me. For the first time in my life, I felt like just a visitor. But when we got back to our sweet little house in our sweet little neighborhood, I felt it. The peace of coming home.

My little coffee station {diy mug tutorial here}

Maybe it's because I've redecorated two rooms precisely to our tastes. Drew is represented in our guest bedroom, aka the Man Cave, filled with Gamecock memorabilia. The office looks like me when you see the aqua walls and white furniture filled with books and delicate touches that remind me who I am.

I guess all the weeks of work made a bigger impact than I thought. I'm home here, in my rental with my husband and hound dog. It's ours and we're making it feel like us more all the time. And I find myself at peace here in a way I wasn't sure I ever would. Thanks, God, for putting me where I didn't want to move and helping me find home in an unexpected place.

In addition to growing up and making my house a home, I'm making lots of changes here on the blog. On Tuesday I announced that I'm transitioning to lifestyle blogging and taking the focus away from how-to. I've been thinking about another major step for weeks, and this morning it became official. The blog is getting a makeover by Rachel from Oh Simple Thoughts. I read her blog daily, and love her aesthetic. Even though part of my career involves graphic design, I've found it so frustrating to design for myself. After lots of weighing the options and asking Husband what he thinks, I finally reached out to Rachel, and I cannot wait to see what this wonderful woman does! So excited to have her help!

Does visiting your parents still feel like going home or have you made your own space home? What did you do to create your own space?