Well, I can’t believe that we actually did this! Y’all, we have been talking/dreaming about living in a house in the Tope with a casita for year. Like LITERAL years. In April of last year, two houses came on the the market right across the street from one another: one with a casita, the other without. We put in an offer on the one with a casita and thought for sure that was “the one” we’d been waiting for. But when another buyer came in with CASH, we got turned down real quick lol! That left the house across the street. The one without a casita. The one without a basement. The one I thought wouldn’t work for us at all (I am admittedly often wrong!). One thing led to the next and before we knew it we had an accepted offer and were getting ready to move in…and start BUILDING the casita that we always wanted!

When our plan designer told us that the whole process could take a year (from start of drawing up plans to passing final inspection), I thought he was over exaggerating. Yea, wrong again over here! New construction is no joke. We started talking through the process as soon as had the keys in hand, had a permit by December and starting demo January 19th, 2018. In true craziness, we decided to have me GC and design the project (with the help of a consultant to schedule inspections/etc) and I somehow survived to tell the tale!

Nearly 6 months after we started demo, we have officially passed inspection today and have a habitable and adorable apartment above the garage! It has been a labor of love full of lessons great and small. I am so grateful for the people that had a hand in creating a space that we will continue to provide hospitality with purpose. Not only will we get to bless our guests who stay with us, but this space will provide clean water to those in need through The Water Project. I am overwhelmed with gratitude that God has blessed us to be a blessing. May we inspire you to do the same in whatever role He has called you to!