Sometimes things are meant to be

2018 was a year of chaos in our home.  We started on a huge home remodeling project that still is not complete.  Well, it didn't start as a huge project, but like all projects undertaken on old homes (our original structure was built in the 1940s), when you start "fixing" things you find things that you didn't expect that have to be addressed.

Part of the project included adding a bedroom and bathroom upstairs for Tyler.  This meant his bedroom downstairs could be converted into a guest room.  We specifically wanted it for that purpose because it's right next to a downstairs bathroom, which is convenient when my 92 year old mother-in-law comes to visit, etc.  Because Tyler's furniture went upstairs with him, we needed to get new furniture for the guest area.

In August I stopped by an estate sale not far from the house.  A lovely lady was selling her family's belongings from over 100 years being at the same place.  She was also at one time an antiques dealer and had many lovely items for sale that she had brought in from Italy.  A few items that captured my attention were a dresser, an armoire (both of which are now in my bedroom) and this amazing bed.  Now, the bed is totally NOT my style at all.  I'm more of a Mid Century Modern / Rustic Farmhouse Industrial kinda gal.  But it called me.  Made from Italian walnut, it was hand painted and original.  It was old, it had wear marks, and it called me.  I knew I had to have it.  In talking to Sherrie I learned she grew up in the area but now lives in Italy and is an opera singer.  (She just made her debut in The Barber of Seville playing Rosina - amazing talent.)  Eventually I made a deal with Sherrie for a bunch of pieces and arranged to come back to pick it all up.

Thankfully I was able to barter with our builder to utilize his van and their muscles to help move everything to the house.   We finally got the guest room ready to go just before Gloria came to visit us in November.  She was the first person to sleep in the bed in this house.

I found it so fitting ... my Italian mother-in-law who once lived in Michigan and who studied opera singing when she was young was sleeping on an old Italian bed, purchased from a Michigan woman who now resides in Italy, and is an opera singer.

When we went to pick up the furniture, Sherrie gave me the lovely Capodimonte rose which matches the bed, and the Madonna figurine in the photo above.  I immediately teared up.  What Sherrie didn't know is the day we picked the furniture up was my Aunt Rhonda's birthday.  She was a devout Catholic and she was very much on my mind that day.  She passed away several years ago from cancer, and is missed.  Not only was it her birthday, but we were processing the fact that my Dad didn't have much longer with his battle and would soon be joining Aunt Rhonda in heaven.  We said goodbye to Dad just a few weeks later.

While I am not Catholic, this sweet Madonna means so much to me.  She watches over those who sleep in the room.  And, every time I see the bed I'll think of Sherrie, and my beautiful mother-in-law Gloria.