So… Let Me Be Real for a Second
Cheers to 2026… and All the Chaos We’ll Conquer
Before we go any further, I want to give you the full picture — because the pause? Yeah… it had a reason.
I moved house in 2024, and when I started this blog, it was a crazy time. I had so much on my plate — the house, the kids, life in general — and so much in my head that I wanted to get out and share with the world. I thought this blog would be a little space for me to breathe, reflect, and connect, but honestly, those two years — 2024 and 2025 — were some of the hardest I’ve ever had.
When we moved in, we thought the house was in decent shape — somewhere we could make our own. But what we actually got was… far from it. The previous owner hadn’t kept up with anything. The floors, the walls, the paint — nothing was as it seemed. The whole house was dirty. The kitchen was falling apart. The place was in bad shape.
I cried because I hadn’t realised it was this bad when I agreed to take over the house. The lady who lived there before had lied about the condition of the home, and suddenly I was faced with moving my children out of a beautiful, comfortable space into a house that felt broken . Times were dark. I felt frustrated, heartbroken, parent guilt and completely exhausted.
My husband and I did almost all of the work ourselves. We tore things down, fixed things up, painted, cleaned, and somehow kept going even when it felt impossible. And it wasn’t just the house — it was parenting four kids, juggling daily life, managing expectations, trying not to lose myself completely. Every day felt heavy.
December 2025 was the first time we actually had a kitchen to use. For Christmas, we could finally cook, sit down, and enjoy a meal without chaos. — A light at the end of a very long tunnel.
Sometimes good things really do come in big packages.
When I first moved into this house, the amount of work that needed to be done felt impossible — bigger than me. At the time, it honestly felt like a curse. Every unfinished wall, every mess, every problem made me wonder what I’d gotten myself into.
But now it’s done.
The construction site has become a home.
I look around and see more than walls and rooms — I see how deeply I was blessed. I see proof that what once overwhelmed me didn’t break me. It built me.
Over the past two years, I’ve learned something important: you’re never given more than you can bear — even when it feels like too much in the moment. What feels heavy now may one day be the very thing you’re grateful for.
Through all of it, I survived. I laughed when I could, cried when I needed to, shouted when I had to, and somehow, we made it through. And now, the dust is settling. I’m finding space again — space to breathe, to think, to create, and to be present here with you.
So thank you. Thank you for your patience and for sticking around while life felt messy and heavy. I’m back, and I’m ready to show up more consistently this year. Will everything be perfect? Ha! Nope. Not a chance. But I’ll show up, do my best, and we’ll stumble, laugh, cry, and figure it out together—chaos and all.
Let me leave this with you.
Sometimes good things do come in large packages!
We may face hardships and challenges, but God wants us to have hope and peace through it all.
Love Shana xx
This really touched me. Reading your words took me straight back to that feeling of thinking you’re stepping into a fresh start, only to realise how heavy and overwhelming it actually is. The exhaustion, the guilt, the tears behind closed doors it’s something only people who’ve lived it truly understand.
I’ve been on my own housing journey too, and while the path looked different, the emotions were so similar. There were moments where everything felt uncertain, where I questioned how I’d cope and whether things would ever settle. But somehow, step by step, things did change. I’ve now moved into my new home a house with space, light, and a garden and for the first time in a long while, it feels like I can finally exhale.
What your story reminds me of is that even when the process breaks us down, it can still build something new in the end. A sense of strength we didn’t know we had. A deeper appreciation for peace, safety, and home.
I’m so proud of you for pushing through those years, for holding your family together, and for being brave enough to share the messy parts. Here’s to calmer days, lived-in kitchens, and homes that finally feel like they’re holding us not the other way around.
Cheers to 2026… and to everything we’ve survived to get here 🤍
Hey Chantelle,
I’m so glad to hear you’ve found your way to a place that finally lets you exhale. A home filled with light, space, and peace is something so deeply deserved after a journey like that. Your words are a beautiful reminder that even when the process breaks us down, it can still build strength, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for the simple things we once took for granted.
I hope you keep reading, sharing, and joining in the conversation.
Sending love,
Shana xx
Hey Shana,
Thank you so much for your beautiful words they truly mean a lot to me. This journey has definitely tested me in ways I never imagined, but like you said, it also shaped me. Finding a place that finally feels calm, safe, and like home has been such a blessing after everything we went through.
Reading stories like this reminds me how important it is to keep sharing, even when things feel heavy, because someone else out there needs that reminder that things do turn around. I’m really grateful for the space you’ve created and the honesty you share it makes people like me feel seen and understood.
Sending love right back 🤍
Kind Regards
Chantelle xx