Home Sweet New Home

Hey Yall,

I am currently sitting on my deck, overlooking the pond, drinking my coffee, and writing this post about our new home. Life is good!  Now that I am out of the first trimester of this pregnancy, feeling less like a zombie, and more like a human, I can be excited about all the things I want to do to make this new home our own.  We have been living here for over two months now, and I think we have established successful logistics when it comes to moving Sayla around on different levels of the home.  She is the reason we bought this home.  We were pretty convinced we would have to build a house, in order to provide the accessibility she needs.  My husband, Patrick, was constantly searching real estate on the market, and stumbled across this house. In the midst of viewing 30 photos, he saw a handicap accessible bathroom.  This house was not marketed as a “handicap accessible” home, but Patrick decided we should check it out.  I was not in love with the location at first, and said, “Absolutely not.”  Then I told him I would come and look at the house, but just to get ideas for our future building plans since there was at least a handicap bathroom to look at.  Patrick and I met up with our realtor, and when we walked through the front door, we both said, “Wow!” It definitely has a wow factor that I feel like the MLS photos did not convey.  It has high ceilings and tons of natural light through multiple windows and French doors that look out over the water.  We looked at the lower level of the home, and truly felt this house was built with our special needs child in mind.  The previous owners had a brother who was immobile and wheelchair bound, and they renovated the lower level for him when he would visit.  The lower level consists of a kitchenette, which is perfect for mixing Sayla’s daily formula, and preparing/administering her medications, while keeping everything stored and organized.  There is a handicap accessible bathroom with a “wheel-in” shower, and bench.  There is a family room, a large bedroom, and several closets for ample storage space for her medical equipment.

(MLS photo)

(MLS photo)

On the main floor of the home there is a partial open floor plan with a kitchen, dining room, living room, powder room, and then the master suite is also located on this level.

(MLS photo)

(MLS photo)

(MLS photo)

On the upper level of the home, there are three more bedrooms, and two bathrooms. We have plenty of space for our growing family and for our guests to stay when they visit.

When making an offer on this home, our amazing realtor (name is Holly Browning, if you happen to live in Central KY and are in need of the best), suggested that we write an offer letter from Sayla, to the seller, to really put a personal touch on what is usually just a business deal. I wanted the seller to know that this is much more than a house for us, but a home to accommodate our whole family.

Dear “Seller”

Hello, my name is Sayla. My mommy is writing this letter for me.  I really love your house and my mom and step dad have been looking for the perfect handicap home for me for a long time.  I am almost 9 years old and I am getting bigger.  The house we live in now is too small for my wheelchair and other equipment.  I was born with a brain tumor and at 5 days old, I had surgery to remove the brain tumor, but I had a stroke during the surgery leaving me with severe brain damage.  Even though I cannot talk, I can communicate my emotions. When I came to see your house, I was all smiles and so happy because the basement was made for me!  It will be easier for me to take a shower, and my nurse that watches me will have her own kitchenette downstairs to mix my feeding tube formula, and all of my medications.  Also, there is plenty of room to store my medical supplies, and equipment! 

My favorite part of the house is the back patio where I can sit in my wheelchair, and look at the pretty pond. My mommy’s favorite part is the kitchen and all of the natural light on the main floor.  I hope you will sincerely consider our offer to buy your house. 

Warm regards,

Sayla

I am thankful the sellers accepted our offer.  I am also thankful they were gracious enough to leave a wheelchair ramp for the front door.  I am going to take my time decorating and designing the spaces to be our own, as I’m pregnant, chasing a toddler, caring for a handicap child, finishing design school, and just trying to keep toilets clean at this point of my life. I have so many ideas, and I cannot wait to share them all with you.  I am starting in the master bedroom, as I consider this room a priority in every home as a sanctuary of rest.  I plan on being in this room a lot when the new baby comes, and I am recovering from a c-section.  Below is our furniture layout and lighting plan for the master suite.  We have ordered a new KING SIZE BED (pretty excited about letting go of the ole queen), and it should be arriving in a few weeks.  Just in time for me to break out my snoogle pregnancy pillow without pushing my husband off the bed.

(MLS photo)

Thank you for reading about our exciting new journey in this amazing life.  I’m curious…what room did you decorate first in your new home??

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