A rediscovered passion: trash into treasure

 A rehabbed triple dresser

 I rediscovered an old hobby after moving into our new home. And that is the joy of making old things look new. Whether it’s a fresh coat of paint in a bedroom or finding the beauty in a junky old piece of furniture.

When we moved out of our RV and into a big house, we had no furniture. Everything we owned fit inside our RV or in storage (in my mom’s basement).

Thanks to the generosity of friends and family, we ended up with enough furniture to sparsely furnish our basic necessities. A place to sleep. A comfy couch to sit on (thanks, Mom!) and dining room table.

Birds Gotta Fly Vintage furniture store

But we lacked shelving and those bits and bobs to flush out the rest of the space. I went yard sale shopping with a vengeance. And had so much fun. But we resulted in some interesting cast-offs. Things that had seen better days and needed TLC.

Last summer, I found one of my top favorite shops in Elkhart, Indiana: Birds Gotta Fly Vintage. They sell Anne Sloan Chalk paint and refinish furniture. But it’s the whole atmosphere. Fresh inspiration at every turn.

Anne Sloan chalk paint: LemLem and Pure White

I snagged some fun chalk paint colors and found some left-over paint in our basement. Armed with a paint-brush, I went to town.

New in Elkhart, Indiana. Home to the RV Industry

Elkhart, Indiana

In January 2018, the Blackburn family officially moved to Elkhart, Indiana. After years of driving cross-country to visit my family, God dramatically opened the door for us to live here.

We moved into a cute little yellow farmhouse just south of downtown Bristol for three months. It needed some TLC, but we got it cleaned up and all the utilities turned on.

Little yellow farmhouse 

In April, we purchased a 1960s red-brick ranch and settled down in our new home. Within the last year, we found a home church. Joined a homeschool coop. And participated in several family events, thus cementing the best reason for being here. Family.

1960s red brick house

We also joined a robotics program and the younger two kids started up in a technical school –Elkhart Area Career Center. Liam is learning all about industrial automation and engineering. And Kyla excels in the Commercial Photography program.

This will be their second year doing robotics and the career center. Both of them finished their core academics and are now on a trajectory toward their future careers.

The kids with best friends at our new church

My oldest daughter, Jessica, opted to return to Colorado to be a camp counselor after graduating a year early. She interned at Camp Idrahaje for the last year and will be finishing up her incredible experience this month.

As for our RV adventures, we put them on hold. Like everything else in life, there is a time and a season. We plan to continue traveling in a couple years, but need time to stabilize and root.

There was a thing I had been missing, but I couldn’t describe. A restlessness. I think part of that contributed to my constant need to find “home.” Once we moved here, that restlessness left. I love being close to my family and can’t imagine ever living anywhere else.

Life isn’t perfect and we still have ups and downs. But my husband absolutely adores being home. And I adore having him home. Our relationship with God is stronger and we are closer than ever.

Overall, I would say if I had to do this journey again; I wouldn’t change a thing. Because it led us to where we are now.

Happy. Healthy. Rooted in community.

My sister and my mom. My best friends in the world.