Home Sweet Home

Do you guys want to hear more about the new house?
Good, because it's all that I think about, all day long, and cleaning, rearranging, and decorating it is all that I do, all day long.

Every time that I shift the couch a few inches, or hang up another picture, or unpack some more books, I go and stand by the front door and survey the room.
I can't help it.
I stand there and think, "If this were my first view of the Pitcher's house, what would I think of it, and what would I think of them?"
"If I were Travis, coming home from a long day at work, would I be stressed out by the clutter and unwelcomed by the chaos, or is my home calm, welcoming, and cozy?"
"If I were my children, coming home from a rough day out in the mean world, would I feel happy and safe here?"
"If I were myself, would I enter this door and feel angry that I have to come home to this, or would I feel rested and grateful to be here?"

That's a lot to cram into your front room.
And I try to cram it into every room of my house.

I want people to come in my door, and feel like it's a place where they can laugh and be happy.
I want them to see the cozy handmade quilts and shelves of brightly colored books, and want to snuggle up with a cup of cocoa and stay for a while.
I want them to see the family pictures, and feel a connection to myself, my husband, and children - and understand how much love and happiness we have, and want to share in it.
I want them to see the pictures of Christ, the prophet, and the temple, and know that we believe in God and try very hard to be good people.
I want our home to be clean, orderly, uncluttered; and yet full to bursting with warmth, happiness, welcome, and love.
I want it to feel cozy and old-fashioned; while also being stylish, beautiful, and a even bit modern.

One of the nicest compliments that I ever received was from a friend about to get married. I didn't have children yet (so my house was a lot tidier, and my dinners more impressive), but she said, "You're a really wonderful homemaker. I want to try to be as good a wife as you."

I think about that all the time. That's what I want to be. I want to make this a home. I want to be a really good Home-Maker. 
I want every one who comes in our front door, to feel as if they were home, too.  Happy, safe, welcome, warm, full, loved.

And I'm curious about you other home-makers (whether or not that's your job title), what do you want your home to be? How do you try to foster those feelings and attitudes in your house?

Do you want to come and visit me? I will feed you some of the warm chocolate chip cookies that I'm going to go bake in a minute, and we can chat and knit and watch our kids run around like little maniacs and destroy the calm that I'm trying to achieve.

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