"with these hands i'm gonna build our home
if we ain't got it,
i'll make it."
dave barnes - since you said i do
When Caleb first came to Maryland in May 2011, he was planning on staying for six weeks. The
whole story is coming up soon in the
Oh My My My series, so I won't tell too much right now. BUT! My dad hired Caleb to finish his basement (remember my parents were in Florida? And they had someone renting their Maryland house? Did I ever say that? Well. That's the story.) While the renters lived upstairs, Caleb and my brother completed the doooownstairs.
I'd swing by with hot lunch, or coke slurpees, or just a hug. Those first few weeks of dating were simple and special (and emotional. I'll tell more later.) One particular day, Caleb had a deadline (the walls needed to be painted because the carpet guys were coming Monday morning.) It's a big hunkin' basement, and he couldn't finish it. I came over to help him. We painted for hours and hours. From sun-up to sun-down. Lots of talking, and also lots of silence. It was hard work, but fun to do it with him.
And then... a year after he finished the project, we moved into the most perfect, big, beautiful, best-painted "apartment" we could have dreamed of (minus the blue-leaf carpet. But we had no say in that. And. If that is the only thing we can complain about? Psh. We have it durn'good.). Before the wedding (aka: two weeks before the wedding) Caleb and his brother installed a kitchen (thank you, Dad!). What was going to be a small wall of cabinets turned into a 15-piece, full-fledge, ENORMOUS first kitchen for us.
I moved into our house before Caleb did. But I wasn't there when "the move" happened. You see, I was in Florida with my mom and some of the kids. We drove all the cars back up from Florida. My dad and the boys drove the moving trucks a few days ahead of us. Before the girl-crew made it to Maryland, Caleb and Daniel moved my stuff
out of
Dre + Becca's house into the new house. This all happened the 100-degree summer week where the power went out for days... and this trip was also the trip mom, Pam and I finished and mailed out the wedding invitations from a hotel. The week after mom had chemo. It was a full summer. BUT! Within hours of arriving home, the power was back on and Caleb started hanging frames in our living room.
All in all, this apartment has become a crucial part of our story. Caleb literally built it with his own two hands. It was the way he not only supported himself (and his new little girlfriend) but also the way he was able to start a business in Maryland. It's the home I've done seven or so years of living in. It's the home that I had to prepare to rent all by myself, and wasn't sure if I'd ever live in again. It's the home of so many firsts for Caleb and I. First married birthdays, first shared bedroom, first dinner party,
first (and second) round of stomach bugs/poison ivy/disease, first place for Kristen Morris to
ever live. First place Caleb Morris
ever came home to his wife.
I haven't posted much about this treasure chest of a home, but I was prompted by
Kristin Partin on my
instagram to show "mooooore pictures!" Our home is
filled with reminders of people: from pictures, to custom art, to gifts from literally hundreds of friends who blessed us at our wedding and receptions, to real faces who hang out with us. Consider this an open invitation to invite yourself over and be a part of our home. We want more memories, more stories and more love... so come come. Welcome to the Morris Home.
