"Write about your childhood home, first apartment, first home you bought yourself and what were some of your fondest memories in that place?"
I want to be honest and transparent with you all on these places I have lived and my experiences that have led me from place to place. I want to encourage you, no matter where you live or with who, that there is always the opportunity to, as my mom always says, "Bloom where you are planted." You get the choice to make the best and most out of where you live no matter where or what it looks like. Always keep in mind that it's only for a season... may be a short or long season, but whatever it is there is a reason you are where you're at, and some joy to find along the way. <3
3206 Spring Hill Rd.
This was the address to the home I was raised in until about 6th grade. My parents were very poor and had not had their priorities straight before having me, to say the least. lol
It was barely a two bedroom home. It had yellow siding and it was barely insulated. It was right across the street from the high school. It had a great year, and my parents had all the toys for me to play with and on. Swing set, bike, trampoline, and a play house that my dad built for me as he was a builder. When the high school band practiced in the parking lot across the street, I would run and grab my glitter baton and march along side the fence like the drum major. On Friday nights I would watch the football games from my bedroom window sitting with all of my stuffed animals. We did not have cell phones when I was that young, so I played outside all the time. My dad had a little vegetable garden and I would "help" him garden. I really enjoyed living here because although we didn't have much, we made a lot out of what we had.
4805 Tanglewood Dr.
As my parents started to live life differently and wanted more out of life, my dad started his own business as a builder several years before moving here. My mom and dad saved money in order for them to build their own home. Before my eyes as a child, I saw them work together to build this home. They bought some land, and we put our pop up camper out there and stayed on the weekends while the house was being built. My dad would hire his own guys that worked for his business to work on our home when there wasn't already work lined up. I watched my dad work on this home for months to come. He hung a rope swing with a piece of wood tied at the bottom of it so I could play out there. We brought my bike out so I could ride around the neighborhood, (with a walki-talkie , because no cell phones yet! lol) This was the first time I was able to ride anywhere outside of my drive way. I remember the house was almost done right before Christmas, and we got an air mattress and stayed the night in the empty house on the air mattress, just me, mom, and dad. Dad and I got a Christmas tree and we decorated it, and we lit the fireplace to stay warm. That was one of the most special memories I ever had.
308 McCan Rd.
I was 18 and "grown" HAHAHAHAH! I moved out of the house and my boyfriend and I got an apartment together. That was as unhealthy as you could imagine it to be. It was a great experience to grow and to learn. Back then rent for a 1bedroom apartment was $700 I think. I wasn't expecting to pay a deposit, because they don't teach you how to adult in high school, they teach you a whole bunch of stuff you don't need to know. I remember being broke all the time. Not a lot of great memories here.
508 Old Bullard Rd.
Skip several years down the road.
I moved to Tyler, had a new boyfriend that turned into my husband. Although we were still very very strapped for money, I did have a better idea of what to expect by now and how to budget a little better. This was still not the healthiest of relationships, but we stuck it out for as long as we could until we divorced. Yes, I was married and divorced in my 20s. I cared a lot about what other people thought, and that is a blog for another day. Not a lot of great memories here, either.
206 Chilton Ave
For almost 2 years, I lived in less than 500sqft, in a garage apartment in the Azalea district in Tyler. The neighborhood was charming and so was the tiny garage apartment. I was living alone and so broke. By this time I had earned my yoga certificate, and was teaching yoga as a second job. I had a lot of breakdowns and breakthroughs here. I learned a lot about joy, and what love was and wasn't. I learned that although being alone was scary, it could also be comforting. I really loved the nights I came home and shedded my clothes in the floor and ate a candy bar in bed with no judgement. lol I found a lot of peace here. One of my favorite parts of living here was, for the first time as an adult, I got to decorate my place inside and out, exactly how I wanted to. Every piece of decor was me, and what I wanted. I came and went without telling anyone, and it was completely up to me who I allowed in my space. I figured out how to protect my space and make it the energy that I wanted. Nothing more, nothing less.
Quail Ln
After dating someone for a couple of years from the Chilton address, we moved into his sisters house to save money for our own house. Although we were super grateful for the opportunity to live there and save money, it is hard to merge lives with another woman. He and I had a bedroom of our own, and she let me have another room for my other things and a place to rest in, to relax, and have some peace. Despite the challenges of living with other people, I enjoyed getting to spend time with his sister and get to know her. To have girl talk on the couch and drink wine. We grew to really love each other and what it was to accept others as they are and practice the opportunity to love them where they are at. We stayed here about a year and a half.
Lindale
We busted our butts to save up enough money for a down payment on a home in Lindale. I obviously am not sharing the address because, you know, privacy. lol
We found a home that we could grow a family into, but not too big that it wasn't practical or over our means, or space beyond what we would use. We had several discussions on what was important to us vs what was not like, how old we were okay with the house being. How many bedrooms and bathrooms we wanted. How big we wanted the yard to be. If we wanted a covered porch. What type of neighborhood we wanted to be in. School district. After discussing these things, we shopped for a while and found this house with the help of our realtor. After all the moving around I did in my 20s, I could not wait to settle into a home, and build a life with someone. I have enjoyed living here so much. We work so well together as a team to do things around the house, we've hosted holidays, parties, and showers here. It has been a total joy and blessing to do life in this home. To have a place that we can call our own. We have been here going on 2 years, and are now expecting our first baby. we have both been working diligently on getting her room set up. We had our gender reveal party here and found out in our own front yard. Creating these memories here have blessed my soul and I am so grateful for the time and space that I share, and who I share it with. I am looking forward to the future, and where it will take us next. But for now... I plan on sticking around for a while. :)
I have enjoyed reflecting over my whole life and some of the memories from home to home, how much I have grown, and how these different places and spaces have served me and served a purpose for that season of my life.
XOXO,
Mak