Wow - did we really buy that old school?
Why Did We Buy an Old School?
One of the questions we get asked most often is, "Why did you do it?"
Why on earth would three families decide to buy an old school and turn it into a home?
Well, there were actually quite a few reasons. And looking back, I think some of those reasons have become even more meaningful than we ever imagined.
First and foremost, it was about family.
If you've been following our story, you'll know that our daughter, her husband, and their four children had moved to the country. We wanted to be closer to them, but despite looking and looking, we just couldn't find the right place.
And then the school came along.
Suddenly, there was an opportunity to live close to family while still having our own space. Three families under one roof, each with our own home, but connected by something much bigger.
It seemed like an incredible opportunity!
Then there was the challenge.
I think we all saw the potential in taking an old, tired building and turning it into something wonderful.
Imagine having a gymnasium just down the hallway where we could play pickleball, exercise, or let the children run and play during our long Canadian winters.
Imagine having someone nearby to look after the pets or keep an eye on things when one family wanted to travel.
Imagine being able to walk down the hallway for a cup of coffee with your daughter instead of having to get in the car and drive somewhere.
There were so many possibilities!
And then there was the idea of community.
When we purchased the school in 2023, we were coming out of a very unusual time in our lives.
The pandemic and lockdowns had changed so much. Families had been separated, friendships strained, and many people had experienced a loneliness they had never known before.
I think that experience made many of us realize just how important human connection really is.
Living together in our own little community meant that even if the world shut down again, we wouldn't be completely isolated.
We would have one another.
The children would have space to play, and the adults would have places to exercise, visit, laugh, and enjoy life together.
That was a pretty wonderful thought!
But I have to admit, there was another reason this school appealed to me.
I've always loved the idea of taking an old building and giving it a completely new purpose.
An old church, a warehouse, or some other forgotten structure transformed into a beautiful home.
My husband and I had talked about doing something like that for years, especially once our children had left the nest.
And actually, I think that dream started when I was a little girl.
I remember thinking how absolutely wonderful it would be to live in a department store! 😂
Can you imagine?
You could choose whichever bed you wanted to sleep in, wake up in the morning and pick out a whole new wardrobe, and then wander over to the grocery department and choose whatever you wanted for breakfast!
What more could a little girl ask for?
Well, I didn't quite get my department store.
But I think I got something even better.
These days, I can walk down the hallway to play pickleball, head to the gym for a workout, or stop in for a cup of coffee with my daughter.
We can work together in the garden, and my grandchildren can knock on our door to see if we want to play a board game.
I can spend an afternoon painting with my grandson, watch the children running around outside, creating adventures, exploring, and using their imaginations.
And sometimes, I just get to listen to the sound of children's laughter echoing down the old school hallways.
Those are the things that make this place so special to me.
There's another part of this dream that has become increasingly important as we've gotten older.
The opportunity to age in place, with family close by.
For generations, families often lived close to one another. Grandparents, parents, children, aunts, uncles, and cousins were part of everyday life.
Over time, our world changed. We became more independent, and families often moved away from one another to pursue careers, opportunities, and different lifestyles.
There's certainly nothing wrong with that. Independence is a wonderful thing!
But sometimes, in gaining that independence, I wonder if we've lost a little of the connection that once came so naturally.
And connection is something I value more and more as I get older.
Now, don't get me wrong.
Living under the same roof doesn't mean we're constantly having family dinners, visiting every evening, or spending every waking moment together.
Goodness, that would probably drive us all crazy! 😂
We each have our own homes, our own routines, and our own lives.
And that's important.
But there's something incredibly comforting about knowing someone is just down the hallway.
It's the spontaneous conversations over a cup of coffee, the occasional baseball game outside, the children popping in for a visit, or simply knowing that if you need someone, they're there.
It's having your independence without feeling alone.
And I think that's what we were really looking for all along.
Yes, we wanted the challenge of transforming an old school.
Yes, we loved the idea of having a gymnasium, plenty of outdoor space, and a building full of possibilities.
But more than anything, we wanted to create a place where family, friendship, and community could flourish.
Has it been easy?
Absolutely not! And if you've been following our renovation adventures, you already know that! 😂
But when I look around at the life we're building here, I realize that the dream was never really about the building itself.
It was about the life we could live inside it.
And that, my friends, is why we bought an old school. ❤️
I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Could you imagine living in a place like this, with family or friends nearby but still having your own private space?
Or did you ever dream of living somewhere unusual when you were a child?
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From Wellness Wednesday and Future Self Friday to our adventures renovating and living in an old school, with the Monday at the Old School Series, you'll find a little bit of everything here.
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