Oh hey, Texas!

First blog post, where do I even start?! I just might keep it short and sweet. It's been a long road getting here but here I am, writing a blog post when I should be studying for my upcoming CPA Exams.

I guess I should introduce myself! My name is Ashley Kilmer. I'm a wife, daughter, often known as the 'favorite aunt.' Tax accountant by day, interior decorator by night and weekend. Don't get me wrong, I love accounting! It brings fulfillment and I am passionate about helping people.

I never really thought of myself as blogger because I am notoriously known by family and friends to keep my home and decorating private. Actually, I think I am actually a relatively private person to the outside world. With significant changes over the last couple of months, that need for privacy has been slightly lifted.

Buying our dream home in Texas was not something we intended to do so soon. Coming off a 2.5 year home renovation on my husband's childhood home, I thought there was no way we were leaving / moving for at least 5 -10 years. And that is still somewhat the plan, float back and forth between CA and TX for the next year or two. To simply put it, our entire lives are in California - not something that can be easily picked up and moved. 10 acres, three houses, our hobbies, a business, family, friends - heck, favorite restaurants -are not- easily just left behind.

But alas, Texas is where we feel like our most authentic self's. It’s a place that fills our hearts with joy and puts permanent smiles on our faces.

The journey started back in July when we took a road trip to see family. First stop was in Arizona and then onto Texas. Joe slingshotted us into house hunting after falling in love with the Great State of Texas, 5 days into our trip, 2nd day into being in Texas. Everyone was onboard with the plan: Find house. Buy house. Move in two years.

From that amazing family trip till now, some life-changing, heart breaking and tremendously difficult moments happened. In late September, we came to Texas because we were actually in contract with another house. It quickly went south. Joe loved it, I didn’t but overall something was just off and we planned to terminate. About an hour before our flight back to CA, Joe came outside and handed me a photo of a house that had just been listed. I said, “this isn’t real! Don’t tease me like that!” - he said, “it is, and it’s in East Texas.” And I said back, “THAT’S OUR HOUSE!”

Fast forward through some insanely intense 30 day closing, this sweet, 40 acre historical home became ours.

It’s a new beginning that has us floating through air. We've been here at The Potter House for nearly two weeks. On our first night, I sat outside and watched the sun set over the trees. I watched our dogs run, sniff and play. And of course, Joe carried me over the threshold and into the next chapter of our lives.

Everyday brings new adventures, sitting outside drinking coffee, watching the sun set over the west as I cook dinner, and even finding a baby snake in the pool - it's got us feeling like we are living again.