Come On In: A Little Glmipse Into Our Homes & Hearts

Today’s blog post is a mother-daughter question exchange on the topic of “home.”

Gemma and I have never lived under the same roof, though we both longed to. God never opened that door. Still, we thought it would be fun to ask each other three questions on the topic of "home" and simply let you see a little more of us. This is a lighthearted post, but the heart behind it is connection. We hope that opening the windows to our hearts and the doors to our homes will somehow, even in some small way, encourage you and allow us to connect more personally with you.

And while we’re here, we also just want to hit a quick "pause button" and say thank you.

In a world that celebrates big numbers and large platforms, this little blog doesn’t exactly check those boxes. But the consistent 30–50 or so of you who read here each week are so special to our hearts.

A room filled with that many people is a lot of hearts. And truly, if it were only one of you, we would keep doing it. You really do matter to us. Connecting with you matters to us. Encouraging you, even in a really small way, through our writing matters to us. This little corner of the internet has become a sacred and fun, little corner for our hearts too, and we look forward to being here each Friday together.

So, with that said, every once in a while we want to pause and say, most sincerely, thank you for being here with us.

Ok, let's dive into our questions and answers about H O M E, shall we?!

My Questions to Gemma:

When life feels heavy or uncertain, what does “home” mean to you? Is it a place,

certain people, a feeling, or something else?

Home to me is all of the above. It is a place. My little apartment located in a serene

environment, close to two (not one!) suya spots and right above a pastry shop. I love it.

Certain people are my home. My family and friends. They keep me grounded and love

me unconditionally. Home is also a feeling that I can’t quite describe. It’s warmth,

classical music in the background, puzzles and board games. Home is also a

season…Christmas! In times of uncertainty and certainty, home to me is any of

those.

What’s one little thing in your home that instantly makes it feel like home to you? (A

smell, a song playing, an item?)

It’s funny! It’s the humming of the fridge. It’s not loud but my senses have adjusted to it so much that when the power goes off and I can no longer hear it, I feel weird.

When you wake up in your home, what’s something that makes your heart smile each morning? (It can be something little)

When I wake up, I like to open the windows to let fresh morning air come in. So, the morning breeze.

Gemma by the front door of her her adorable apartment

Gemma's Questions to me

What part of your home feels like your personal secret base?

The part of my home that feels most like my personal secret base is probably my bedroom. I have always been a sucker for anything cozy. My bed has a big, fluffy white comforter, and our bedroom is tucked just off the kitchen. I love to sit in bed in the morning, sip my hot coffee—oh, that first sip of hot coffee in the early morning!—read my Bible, and turn on The Today Show for the morning headlines. I can usually only watch about fifteen minutes of the news before I feel it starting to drag me down, so I cut it off. So yes, my bedroom is probably my secret base. But really, I think my “secret base” is just as much the early morning hours themselves. There is something so quiet and sacred about that time of day for me. Before the house is fully awake and the day starts asking things of me, I get a little pocket of stillness, and I treasure it.

What eco-friendly habit do you have that makes you feel like a superhero?

Ha! This question made me chuckle, Gem. I love it.

The eco-friendly habit I am most passionate about lately—and probably the most proud of—is my stance against plastic. I ask for paper bags at the grocery store checkout, and I almost always tell the cashier, “Can I please have paper bags? I’m trying to help the earth, one sea turtle at a time.” This is usually met with a quizzical, "ok lady", brow, which only makes me feel borderline high-maintenance (but I've made my peace with it). We use stainless steel straws in our home, and I am slowly switching our pantry containers from plastic to glass. It is definitely a process because there is just so much plastic in our world. It can feel overwhelming when you really start noticing it. I also know there is no realistic way for me to live completely plastic-free, and I don’t want it to become something I feel burdened by. But I do think there is something good about paying attention and making small changes where we can. I may not be saving the entire ocean, but I can do my little part for one, cute sea turtle at a time.

As someone who eats plant-based most of the time, what is your ultimate comfort food that isn’t necessarily “healthy”?

My homemade sourdough cinnamon rolls!

They are gooey and sweet and doughy—and honestly, I don’t even put icing on them. Give me a warm, soft, cinnamon-filled sourdough roll straight from the oven, and I am perfectly happy. They are absolutely my favorite comfort food, and I could probably eat an entire batch if I were completely unhinged. In fact, just answering this question has reminded me that I should probably go feed my sourdough starter so I can make some this weekend!

A double rainbow formed over our cottage-home right after we bought it