We Decided to Live in a House That Feels Like 'Home'

"It feels like my parents' house..." my husband murmured with deep emotion when we first stepped into this home.
The house we bought before our son started elementary school is a pre-owned property about the same age as me.

When we contacted the real estate agent and visited for our first viewing, the previous residents, a married couple, welcomed us while they were busy preparing to move. They told us they had a son about our age and were moving closer to him.

We have an only child. There is no one to inherit this house in the future. That is why we decided we didn't need a new house and chose one at a price we could pay off before retirement.
And although this house has had some mysterious renovations, for some reason, I felt at ease when we came for a second viewing.
On the way home that day, my husband said, "Shall we go with this one?"

I still remember my husband's words, "It feels like my parents' house."
It is true that whenever we visit my husband's parents' home, it is a place where we feel very much at ease. It is different from my own parents' home, which always had a tense, sharp atmosphere.
I wanted to raise my son in an atmosphere like that. That is what I thought.

Above all, I liked that the bus stop was nearby, making it convenient for transportation, yet the area was quiet.

We decided to make the sunny six-tatami mat Western-style room on the second floor our son's room, and the four-and-a-half-tatami mat Japanese-style room on the opposite side my study.
It is scorching in the summer and freezing in the winter. It is a space that makes you want to ask, "What is insulation?" but I like it. I want to customize it to my liking, but I lack the confidence to do it well, so it has been five years.

More than anything, since moving to this house, my son has been happy to have a room where he can spread out his building blocks and play as much as he wants. Moving from a 2DK apartment to this house felt like his world had expanded.

From the balcony, you can see the sea, the mountains, and the city. In the summer, you can even see fireworks. It is old, but it is a very luxurious space.
I work and write in a room where I don't have to be on edge. A quiet space—how much I had longed for this.

The house is old. But it is peaceful and comfortable.
In an atmosphere where I don't have to be on edge, I write, my son plays, and my husband relaxes.
If such moments continue to pile up, this house is enough.
As for cleaning, which I am not good at... I will try my best.