Adding subtle touches of Spring in our home is always refreshing and such a joy!  Join me, my friends and Hayneedle as we fill your brain to the tippy top with Spring decor ideas!  This is part 1 of my Spring home tour this year and I’ll be sharing my master bedroom along with a life story.  If you are coming over from Lemons to Lovelys, welcome welcome!

*Much thanks goes to Hayneedle for providing product for this tour.  Sources and other homes on this tour are shared at the bottom of this post.  Find out how to enter our Hayneedle sponsored $250.00 shopping spree below.

I want to tell you about a Spring I’ll never forget.

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It was the Spring of 1996.

Of course to remember a Spring that long ago, usually means something significant happened.  And unfortunately, this something was not a happy something.

But fortunately and in retrospect, the Spring of 1996 taught me many valuable life lessons, which I would love to share with you today.  Forgive me now for being too personal.  I’m not sure how else to be 😉

I was just 11 years old.  Only one month away from turning 12, as I was sure to remind everyone.  It was the evening before the last day of school until Spring break.

My daddy was laying on the trampoline after his jump-a-thon, which he sometimes did for exercise.  I saw him there and jumped next to him and we laid together looking at the beautiful blue sky.  He was quiet that night, but I chatted away to him about the desire to go camping for Spring break.

He committed to no such plans, but I held onto the hope that perhaps I could convince him later.

The next day, school let out, Spring break began, and I recall sitting upstairs in the loft room going through my fathers treasures he brought back with him on a trip to Guatemala to see scriptural ruins.

That’s when it happened.  My mother was called up to the gravel pit above our house after hearing of a terrible accident.

I’ll spare you the details, but it was an accident involving my Father, Grandfather, and my brother as a witness.

My dad was the worst, and he was life-flighted to a burn center, and treated for around 2 months – to no avail.

He passed on, and left our side.

Now to an 11 almost 12 year old girl, this was a glum story with a very unhappy ending.

But to a now thirty something year old woman, this story was just the beginning.

A beginning to many valuable life lessons full of tender mercies and miracles.

If you’ll amuse me, I’ll share 7 lessons I learned from the Spring of 1996.

LESSON 1:  IT TAKES A VILLAGE

I’m not sure how anybody gets through trials and traumatic events without a support system.  We were blessed to be surrounded by a community of people who came together to help my mother with kids, house chores, transportation, and a seemingly endless amount of meals.  Through the kindness of others, our burdens were made light.

I know not everyone lives with this type of support around them, but by witnessing this kind of service in my life, I have always hoped to be ready and willing to serve those around me in their times of need.  I have no doubt there are many around us in need of lifting.

LESSON 2:  BY SMALL AND SIMPLE THINGS, ARE GREAT THINGS BROUGHT TO PASS

If you can imagine being in the thick and thin of middle school drama, and dealing with a passing of a loved one on top of that . . . I’m pretty sure I was a mess.  At school, all that seemed to matter was trying to fit in.  At home, reality sunk back in and nothing seemed to matter.

But there was one dear friend, Cassie was her name.  I’m sure she had no idea what her small acts of kindness did for me, but they were never forgotten.  She was my only friend that came to my dad’s viewing/funeral.  I was shocked and pleased to see her!  Then she stopped by my house with a small teddy bear.  I still have that bear.

After that, our friendship and life carried on as nothing had happened.  But through the innocence of a sweet 12 year old girl, I have never forgotten how even seemingly small things, can make a huge difference.

LESSON 3: FRIENDS ARE GREAT.  BUT FAMILY IS EVERYTHING.

My mom always called me a social butterfly.  I had lots and lots of little groups of friends.  She would drop me off at school events alone, and I told her I didn’t mind because I would have plenty of people to go hang out with.

But at the end of the day, it was my family that grounded me.  Certainly, friends come and go, but through the events my family and I have passed through together, we are linked forever.  Links forged through trials and tears, joy and laughter.

Family is everything to me.

LESSON 4:  MY MOM IS A ROCK

6 kids, thriving family business, humongous yard . . . who in heavens name could rock a world like that without a husband by her side???

My mother.  That’s who.

I know she struggled.  I know times have been hard.  But with a deep and everlasting love for her children, she carried us through.

I’ll never forget the night my dad slipped away.  There we all were, surrounding his bedside at the hospital, knowing what was about to transpire.  In the midst of her tears, she looked around at her children and noticed I was standing alone.  With no one to hold her, she told my teenage brother to hold me.  And he held me in the best brotherly hug I’ve ever had.

If I can but strive to be half the woman she is, I’ll call this life a success 😉

LESSON 5:  WHEN THERE ARE NO MORE TEARS – LAUGH!

I’m not sure who’s idea it was to have all 6 of us kids stand in the line at the funeral, but it was zero fun.  Teary eye after teary eye hugging and mauling us.  They all meant well, no doubt – but oh how I wanted to run away!

There came a point where it seemed both my sister and I had had enough.  We had cried all we could cry – so naturally – we started laughing!

I’m not certain what we were laughing about, but a dear neighbor coming through the line mentioned how good it was to hear us laughing.

I’ve tried to remember, there is joy to be had in this world.  No matter what our situation.

LESSON 6:  NO PAIN NO GAIN

Admittingly, I wasn’t much of an exerciser growing up.  My mom would insist I go on walks with her, but oh how I would whine!    Our area had a lot of big hills and I hated going up them as much as I hated hearing my mom say “no pain no gain”.  She eventually gave up on me and took my sister instead.

I assume you’ve heard the phrase, “The Refiners Fire”.  No doubt, any true change in us humans comes at a cost.  I’ll never deny that the events that took place in the Spring of 1996 changed my life and have influenced who I have become – and I am forever grateful for The Refiners Fire.

I’m proud to share, I’ve now made my way up and down those hills of my childhood more times than I can count.

But now . . . I’m running them. 😉

LESSON 7:  THERE IS HOPE

Yes, the very message of Spring itself.  Hope.

Hope in better days ahead.  Hope in faith.  Hope in others.  Hope in Christ.

Because of the events and constant tender mercies that happened in my life AFTER my dad passed away, my hope has been strengthened.  I most certainly hope and believe I will be with him again after this life.  I have felt him with me and helping me more times than I can count.  I am strengthened by the hope others share with me.

Indeed, there is much to hope for.

I’m thankful you would join me as I have opened up a piece of my history and heart to you.  I would love it if you would share some life lessons you have learned through certain events of your life.  Let’s chat in the comments below!  I’m actually going to be sharing a printable tomorrow based off of a song my father would sing to us often.  Be sure you’ve signed up to receive my updates so you don’t miss my printable and the rest of my Spring home tour.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the images of our bedroom you’ve seen along the way, almost as much as I’ve enjoyed taking them.  If you’ll take off the reflection hat I just put on you, and open your mind to all things decor, I’ll share some of my sources for those who are curious.  *affiliate links included.

Feel free to shop through the scrolling images below, or continue on and read my product commentary.

This gorgeous and luscious ombre throw blanket comes from Hayneedle, who is helping us for today’s tour.  Their color options for this particular throw style will blow your mind!

The oval mirror beside the blanket also comes from Hayneedle, at an amazing price!  I’ve searched high and low for a mirror like this and was so pleased to have found it at Hayneedle.

The lovely floral pillow was made for me by Jolie March, where you can shop her custom online store HERE.  Be prepared to pick up your jaw.

The French chair and round side table come from Joss and Main, and I love how they look sitting in my bay window.  Perfect place to plop down with a magazine.

Many of you on Instagram have been coveting these soft pink pillows I’ve been sharing sneak peeks of!  Believe it or not, but they feel even better than they look!  I found them at hobby lobby, as I was on my way there looking for soft pink fabric to make pillow covers.  Scored these instead!!

The throw blanket on my bed comes from Carmel Decor, good online friends of mine.

I found the lamp at Target.

The lace/eyelet trim bedding sheets were on clearance at Homegoods, but just about everything else was DIY or thrift/antique shopping.

If you are curious beyond that, feel free to take a look at my Master Bedroom Makeover reveal for all the sources and tutorials you should want.

As always, thanks for joining me!  The Spring goodies don’t stop here though – be sure to click around below to see the homes of my lovely online friends.  We are bound by our love for pretty things 😉

Also, be sure to enter to win a $250 shopping spree to Hayneedle, by CLICKING HERE.

Today is the first stop of the tour and you can click right over to Belle Amour Blog to continue, but be sure to come back all week as new tours reveal.

Tour Schedule

Monday March 13

Maison de Pax   |  Lemons to Lovelys  |  TIDBITS  |  Belle Amour Blog

Tuesday March 14

The Mountain View Cottage  |  Kim Power Style  |  Meaningful Spaces  |  My Vintage Porch

Wednesday March 15

The Porch Light Cottage  |  White Lane Decor  |  Delightfully Noted

March 16

JorDecor  |  Farmhouse On Boone  |  A House With Books