Personal Taste...

In the past few weeks I have had the pleasure of staying in several different homes. I also love blogs about decorating, and when I used to go into a home store- be it Home Depot or Pier One- something inside me would just sing.

For the past four years, I have (out of necessity) really shelved my desire for all things homey, as we have sold our home, and now live in a rental. It was just a little too hard to live on a stringent budget, and also justify frivolous spending on a new curtain or chachki that would not travel over the ocean. All purchases over $20. were first tested through a filter in my head... "Would I get the full use out of it before we go to Zambia? OR Would I ship it?" If the answers were no, I would not get it. It has really helped me not have a lot of buyers remorse, but it has also really caused a great loss of "me" in the process. Not me in the person, but in the persona and personality. I look at my home, and it feels rather hap hazard, and actually quite utilitarian to me. Anyone walking in would not perceive this- I am very good at making do. I guess the point is, I feel like I need to have a bit of a shift in my thinking.

So... I have decided to make some conscious decisions about the Future Move to Zambia. When JulieMom went to her field, she made some purchases for her future home and brought them with her. I really loved that she prepared ahead of time for the comfort factor- not that it was over the top, but it was something she knew would make the transition to a foreign CONTINENT just a little easier. I am taking her cue as well as the advice of a few others, and with purpose going to do some searching.

I am not talking about actual items yet either. Quite frankly, I have No Idea what my tastes are right now. We will be bringing over three teenagers and a young woman with us so truth be told, we will be looking at being an empty nesters while on the foreign field. If that doesn't send me over the mental edge of despair... !!! :)

One Big Bonus, I have one of those Great Husbands that really likes whatever I do with our home. He painted our living room Dark Berry. Twice! In Two Different Homes!! Now that is a great guy! That being said, it really is going to be my personal decision about what our home will "feel" like with regard to decorating. In the past three weeks we have been in modern, eclectic, chic and elegant homes. Some were over the top, others were very minimalist. In each one, we both felt comfortable but there were some that were much more our taste. I am very glad to have this opportunity to kind of "live" in different homes short term to really get an ides of what makes us comfortable. I have at times felt like I shouldn't buy anything for our home in Zambia. Certainly a couch that has the comfort factor of a park bench is fine for a foreign field missionary, right?

No, not right. But there is a balance. I don't need to amass copious quantities of fabric and glass items to accessorize new end tables and thousand dollar bedroom sets. I wont be opening a new store credit account at my favorite furniture store with no interest for four years, and then buy enough furniture to furnish my Zambian home... wherever that may be!

What I am going to do is look. For several years I haven't even allowed myself that. I couldn't tell you my preference in color or fabric these days. What is the latest trend in wall treatment, painting technique or photograph collage idea? I have no idea!

But given a little time, I will. And then, with a budget in hand and a purpose in heart, I hope to take the advice and examples from some who have "been there, done that", and eventually have some things to make our foreign house a home.