Eventide Farm

Most that read this blog are family and close friends so you know back in the summer we bought a house.  I haven't had a chance to post about it but now that we are finally moved in, I thought I would tell the story...

We bought our first house 7 years ago.  We knew it was not our forever home.  We always knew we wanted open spaces and privacy and with my mom keeping the girls while I work, it made the most sense to move closer to them.

The plan was to build a house next to my parents on some land they have saved for my sister and I.  Jason and I put our house for sale by owner and waited for an offer.

In the meantime, one day I decided to check the listings to see what competition we had.  It was then when I saw a beautiful brick home with over 17 acres just minutes from my parents.  I knew this house, it is a house I have loved since I was a little girl.  Immediately I called Jason to tell him to get online to see it!

He was not thrilled with the idea from the start.  For one, he likes to have AND FOLLOW a plan.  And he said our plan was to build, not buy.  Secondly, it needed work. It was build in the 80s and that was pretty obvious.  But he agreed it was pretty from the outside and worth looking at,  probably so we could cross it off the list.  (Side note: I bet Jason and I have seen a dozen houses so this is something he is used to - me wanting a house, him just going to pacify me, and me realizing it wasn't what I wanted.)

We called and made an appointment for the next day (Saturday) and found out it had just been listed the day before.  I told Jason that the pictures didn't really do much for me but if the backyard view was amazing, it would be hard for me to say no.  He chuckled, probably thinking I was out of my mind.

Once inside, we could tell it was a very similar house to the one we would build.  Formal dining and living room off the entrance, master on main, large mudroom, bedrooms upstairs, large playroom plus an unfinished basement for the girls.  The rooms were spacious with nice windows but no ceilings taller than 8 ft, which was something Jason really wanted.  On top of that, every inch would have to be painted and all the flooring would have to be updated.  We started thinking of our budget and how much it would cost to update the house vs. build one just like it.  However, once I saw this view, I knew it could be our forever home!

We crunched the numbers and quickly realized we could NEVER build this house for the cost it was to buy and update.  On top of that, it was more acreage than what we would have next to my parents and it even had a building and a 3 stall barn.  I was 100% for it.

View from the back yard near the pond.

Jason took longer than me.  He wanted to think of EVERY option out there.  He wanted to compare numbers and photos.  He wanted to analyze all the details.  I knew the price was low and it wouldn't last long on the market and we needed to make a decision. So we decided to see it again on Monday.  After lots of discussion, prayer and consideration, we decided to make an offer!

On June 12 (my birthday!) our offer was accepted!  We closed about 6 weeks later and started the 3 month renovation project!

 Jason's house growing up was "Anchor Hill Farm" and I loved the idea of naming your homestead.  We tossed out several options but nothing fit.  Finally, Jason told me to look up the lyrics to "Abide With Me" a song we sing at church.

 Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

This is Jason typing now:

Luke 24:29 "But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.  And he went in to tarry with them."

With the abidance of Christ, eventide, i.e. evening, descent of darkness, holds no fear for death has lost its sting and the grave its victory.  Our comfort is loosed from season, from want or plenty, from age, or health, from wisdom or folly. 

Eventide affirms our intent that this be our final earthly abode, but more importantly that Christ is our eternal abode and we are His. We look forward, comforted, strengthened knowing our reward, His reward, lies ahead, beyond the eventide.
And with that, welcome to Eventide Farm!

I'll be posting more frequently with our before and afters and how we are loving our home so far!