I have been very blessed to grow up in the same house all of my life. My parents live in a rural area where farming is big, there are many small communities, everything is covered by woods, rivers, lakes and plenty of historic charm. Growing up I thought it was so inconvenient to live in the country – I could never meet up with friends after school, I always had to ride the bus and when winter hit, I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere. Looking back at my home for the first 20 years of my life… I am beyond thankful I grew up in a humble country home. I appreciate the fresh air roaming through the fields… sometimes filled with the dreaded manure smell (not so awesome), the sound of our creek and the flocks of geese flying overhead, the vegetable garden where we always pick fresh strawberries and my mom would make homemade shortbread that instantly melted in your mouth. That is home to me!

The hard work my parents put into their beautiful home and farm has always been something that they enjoyed doing, and I admire… it’s how they have made their home special to all of us and how their farm is a piece of who they are. Looking back at my parent’s farm and how I was raised, I see how my parent’s grew up and how they have continued the same traditions and share the same characteristics as their parents. It must run through the generations because my home is a piece of me too.

My parent’s beautiful farm

Now that I have a home of my own that I share with my family…. I understand the feeling of creating a ‘home’. It’s not about the size of your house, the brick or the walls, home is where your friends and family gather because it’s always open to your loved one’s. It’s where you bring your new baby home and it’s the first place that they feel safe and secure. Home is the first memories you create as a family, from renovations of something you have envisioned, to your babies’ first of everything. Home is where you experience every possible emotion, the high’s and low’s placed in our paths; where we make tough decisions; we gather to celebrate birthdays and Christmas’; a place where you learn how to treat people with grace and respect; and a place where you grow your faith – it’s the foundation of your family and future.

These are some memories created in our home

What I have learned and realized about myself is that I can relate to my parents and that my upbringing was a blessing… it has shaped me. The house I now call home and where Brent and I have started our family…this place is where my little boy’s call home. My home has shown me another side of who I am, it’s where I have found and expressed my passion which has opened many doors and opportunities. Because of my home I have began to use my creative skills and build it into something I love. I want to create a place that is welcoming, that feels warm when you walk in the front door, and that expresses who we are as a family. My liveliness reflects back to my home because at the end of the day it’s my security blanket and where I feel the most loved.

For those of you that use Instagram and Twitter be sure to use #ThisIsHome to share what home means to you through your pictures!  Check out HGTV Blog for more details.

Thanks for the retweet HGTV and our picture featured on your blog!