Over the weekend we celebrated a lovely little milestone: celebrating one year in our house. Okay, so really, it’s a pretty big milestone…

There are moments when it feels like we’ve lived in the House for years, and other moments when it feels like we’ve been here for a few weeks.

As an expat, the moment we had keys to this home was a defining moment for me. This home represents creating roots here in the UK, and in any expat journey that is a big moment. It is the moment when it all starts really coming together, and a journey (even just a bit) is mapped out in front of us.

And I’ll be honest, it was a bit of a ‘Oh, holy shit,’ moment when I signed the mortgage, and it all became very real. I am a homeowner in Wales. This house, our home, is a symbol of my ever-present roots that I have to learn to balance against my ever drifting life in America.

Even with the overwhelming expat emotions, I haven’t second-guessed the idea of buying our home. It has given us a bit of a new perspective, and a breath of fresh air.

You see, it’s amazing how a bit of different scenery can impact how we approach and take on the world. We are lucky that our house has beautiful views over a park with lush trees surrounding it. The peace and quite (and the green views) gives me a little bit of daily calm and it is so balancing. My walk to my bus stop is accompanied by Neal and Freddy each morning, and we are greeted by lilac bushes or wild daffodils in the spring or bright colors come fall.

We are so incredibly lucky to have this little haven. This little corner of the world to call our own.

This house, over the last year, has turned into our home. Our first home together. A place to call our own, together.

Here’s to memory making and establishing the sense of home for many years to come!