Forever Home Series: Under Roof and Moving Forward
There are weeks during the homebuilding process when everything seems to happen all at once. This was one of those weeks.
In what feels like the blink of an eye, our house has transformed from a concrete foundation into something that truly feels like a home.
The interior walls are now in place, giving shape to every room we’ve spent months imagining.
The trusses were installed.
The roof sheeting went on.
And suddenly, you can walk through the spaces and really understand how life is going to unfold here.
Next up:
Plumbing rough-ins begin Monday.
HVAC follows immediately after.
Electrical is right behind that.
It feels like we’re entering an entirely new phase of the build—one where the behind-the-scenes systems that make a house function start coming together.
A Very Wet Week
The weather definitely threw us a curveball.
Rain poured down, and the crew wrapped up early Friday because conditions were simply too miserable to keep going.
Not wanting all that water to sit, my dad and I spent part of the day sweeping gallons of water out of the house. It wasn’t glamorous, but it felt good to do something productive and help everything dry out as quickly as possible.
The good news? After today, the forecast is calling for beautiful weather, and we’re hopeful that means smooth sailing for the next several stages.
A Moment I’ll Never Forget
One of the most special moments this week was walking through the framed house with my dad.
As we stood in the living room, taking in the view through the windows and imagining what this space will become, he got a little emotional. Truthfully, so did I.
There is something incredibly surreal about seeing the walls up and realizing that this dream we’ve talked about for so long is actually coming to life.
And that view—it stops me in my tracks every single time.
It’s hard not to get emotional knowing how special this place is and imagining the memories we’ll create here.
The Cabinet Stress Is Real
While construction is moving quickly, my brain has been fully consumed by cabinet design.
Kitchen.
Pantry.
Mudroom.
Living room built-ins.
Every decision feels exciting… until the numbers come back.
Trying to create spaces that are both beautiful and functional while staying within budget has been one of the most challenging parts of this process.
Thankfully, our builder continues to reassure me that we’ll make it work. Even if it means getting creative in some areas, I know we’ll find solutions that preserve the vision without sacrificing what matters most.
And for the record: the kitchen is my no-compromise zone.
That space has been one of the biggest priorities from day one, so if we need to simplify elsewhere, that’s exactly what we’ll do.
Thanksgiving in Our Forever Home
As exciting as all the progress has been, the most meaningful part of this journey has been thinking about the people who will fill these rooms.
This week, we made a decision that absolutely filled my heart:
We’re planning to host Thanksgiving here this fall.
All of my siblings are planning to come. My sister in Alaska is still working out flight details, but everyone else is already committed.
Just thinking about gathering the people I love most around one table in this home we’ve poured so much into is enough to make me tear up.
That’s what this house has always been about.
Not just walls and finishes.
Not just cabinetry and countertops.
But creating a place where our family can come together for years to come.
Looking Ahead
There are still plenty of decisions to make, budgets to juggle, and inevitable moments of stress.
But this week felt like a powerful reminder of why we started.
We’re not just building a house.
We’re building the backdrop for our family’s memories.
And for the first time, Thanksgiving dinner in our forever home feels wonderfully, beautifully possible.