385 Cottage Living

(Winona)

I take a step back, assessing the open-plan kitchen, dining, and family room. It’s finally coming together. Fresh flowers from the garden fill vases on the counter.

The windows gleam, and through them, I can see the forested areas and mountains. Every view, every little touch, feels like it belongs to us.

Keeping myself busy with this house has become more than a distraction. Each polished surface, each thoughtfully placed piece, feels like a tiny triumph over the panic that keeps creeping in.

I need to focus on things I can control—the endless arrangement of pillows, the organization of drawers, the flow of each room. These are things that make sense. Things I can handle.

In two days, Jayden will be back, and every part of me aches for his presence here. The kids and I have been working non-stop, setting up their rooms, making sure there’s space for each of their personalities to shine.

Bobby’s been a wonder, diving into landscaping and gardening with a passion I hadn’t seen