Contentment- a work in progress

In regards to our current house we are living in, I've been bouncing back and forth lately between a state of contentment and appreciation for this stage of life we're in and feeling antsy, impatient, curious and ready for what will come next.

The facts on why I should feel content and appreciate this stage:

(aside from the obvious that every stage should be appreciated and I, in general, should feel content with what we have rather than look ahead to what we hope to have or even plan to have in the future)

...right now we live in a great little house that's just right for us, where Matt and I can talk to each other from any room and hear what the other person is saying without a problem

...there are no stairs for Ryan to climb up and down all day

...there is no need that I've discovered as of yet for even one baby gate

...Matt can mow the grass in a short amount of time

...I can keep our house tidy with very little effort, and when we do use a cleaning a service, it doesn't cost much because there's not a whole lot of space to cover

...our location is close to everything we could possibly need (4 Publixes alone in less than 3 miles from our front door, not to mention the Kroger, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Fresh Market and Target that are all right here as well)

...we have a fenced-in backyard so we've never once had to take Tally out to go the bathroom, and the area is flat and small enough that picking up after him is easy (for Matt) ;) to do

...the window in our kitchen overlooks the backyard, so when Ryan is older, I can picture him and Tally playing out there together while I cook dinner and watch them through the window. 

...we have neighbors who are so super sweet all along our street who are in the exact same stage of life as we are (the three couples closest to us are all expecting their first babies this year), and our other closest neighbor is a grandmother who asked to walk Tally every day when Matt and I were both working because she missed the golden retrievers she grew up with; she also closed in her backyard so that Tally could play back there while she painted in the afternoons. I mean really sweet neighbors.

As you can see, the list is long. 

And that was actually very therapeutic and much-needed I do believe.

So now, the honest reasons why I am wanting to move- some valid, and some admittedly very shallow:

...I'm ready for more space. I really don't hold on to things we don't need or aren't currently using, but baby and toddler items take up space and when you know you'll have more kids, you can't exactly take things to Goodwill when the first babe outgrows them.

...I'm ready for a neighborhood where we can ride bikes, go on walks, and maybe even swim and play tennis in one general location

...I want to renovate another house. We have one item left on our to-do list (a very simple to-do at that) and I'm itching for some new big house-related projects)

...I'd love a kitchen and living room that are made for entertaining. I love having people over and would love to have a house that is designed for hosting- whether it's playdates with lot of crawling babies and toddlers or adults-only dinner date nights. I dream of a large dining room table and a living room that comfortably seats friends and family when they visit.

The fact is, I know we will look back on these days with such fond memories. When life was simple, our house was just what we needed and nothing more, and we had so much life and adventure ahead of us. 

I know this because it's how I feel when I think back to our days of living in our 980sf apartment where we spent our first three years of marriage and didn't have a single living thing to be responsible for- not even a plant.  

So I know this, but yet, the struggle is real. 

As silly and superficial and shallow as it is.

So today, I am going to choose to be thankful for everything we have, because I know that we have so much. And I am going to appreciate our little bungalow in the city with it's fenced in backyard and  its bagillion supermarkets and restaurants nearby.

And in case you missed this amazing tribute on Monday, you honestly must take 8 minutes and 45 seconds to watch it. Talk about putting perspective on what really matters in life. 

And if you are a Jesus follower, you might just burst into tears like I did at the powerful and touching way Kathie Lee spoke about her husband's faith and the lessons they hoped to pass on to their children. And if you aren't, watch it anyway, because man, we could all use a little reminder about what matters most in life, right?