Turning grief into gratitude, one pumpkin at a time
Maybe it’s the grief, or maybe it’s just my heart craving comfort — but as soon as I got back home, I went into full-on nesting mode! Like, SERIOUS nesting. My husband is probably wondering if the porch & every other area of our home has now become my second job though I may need a second job to keep up this nesting!
After Dad’s funeral, I’ve just felt this need to savor life. To grab hold of every bit of beauty I can find. To soak in the little things, because we’re not promised tomorrow. I once saw a quote that said, “Fall is proof that change is beautiful.” Gosh, that’s so true in life.
So, the bins came out.
I’ve got one closet for Fall & Winter and another for Spring & Summer (yes, I am that person). This year though? It was all about fall colors explosion on my porch!
I reused what I had — my wreaths from past years, my Walmart basket planters from summer, and a few old faithful pumpkins.
Then I went down the Amazon rabbit hole searching for the perfect faux flowers. (It may or may not have taken hours, but who’s counting?). Here are the ones I finally picked. (Note there are links to these but there’s none of that influencer commission here. Just a friend sharing a good find)
And then… jackpot. I layered a rug with the cutest oversized doormat from the My Texas House Fall Collection at Walmart. Instant cozy vibes and oh soooo affordable! They have both the regular size door and estate size.
Put it all together and… VIOLA! My little fall wonderland was born.
But wait — I picked up a new hack along the way that I HAVE to share:
If your faux florals look stiff or sad, hit them with a steamer. In just a few minutes, they loosen right up, and with a little fluffing, they look amazing. Like, AH-MAZING. I’ll never go back to just “straight-from-the-box” flowers again. Now my fingers did go a little numb holding the steamer that long for four stems but worth it!
And honestly? It makes my morning porch time even sweeter. Most mornings, I sit out here for about ten minutes with the sun on my face — just stillness, silence, and solitude with Jesus. Waiting to listen. No coffee, no distractions. Just me, the fresh air, and a few minutes of peace before the day begins. Now, surrounded by pumpkins, plaids, and cozy fall touches, those moments feel even more blessed. Just brings me joy.
So here we are — my front porch is officially ready for fall! Now if we can just get the temps on board. And every time I walk up, it makes me smile. That’s the kind of everyday joy I’m chasing these days.