Two and a half years ago we purchased a 1964 James Ream mid-century home that we had been dreaming about for over ten years. We knew it was a pit stop along the way but it was one of those things in life that doesn’t make sense on paper, only in your heart and you can’t let it pass without a wholehearted yes!
After the purchase of the mid-century home, we listed our gorgeous home and studio in the country and went through the roller coaster ride of showings, the home under contract multiple times, missed closing dates, maintaining the property while not living there, taking it off the market, putting it back on the market, travel/teaching etc. We took it off the market December of 2025 and we were not sure when we would even re-list it.
In December of 2025 our youngest, Benjamin, was offered a job in Nashville. We had planned on all moving there in about 2 years to join Madolyn and Jack who were already there. Once we helped Ben move and then all celebrated Christmas together in Tennessee, Kelly and I drove back to Colorado sans any children and we knew the timeline for our pit stop was getting shorter by the minute.
We called a realtor the end of February and asked if they thought they could sell our mid-century before we left for a 3-month trip overseas on April 7th. So, while we drove back to Tennessee to teach two back-to-back workshops in March, our realtor was photographing and filming our home. It was officially on the market as we were driving home (even with showings and an offer before the listing went live). We didn’t take the first offer but we were officially under contract after a few days with a 2-week closing.
At the same time, we put our country property back on the market with the goal of being under contract before we drove to Nashville and got on a flight to Europe. The mid-century officially closed on April 6th and we got on a plane on April 7th. The country home and studio officially closed two weeks later.
Very long story as short as possible, we have sold both of our Colorado properties three months ago and we are currently homeless, we have been teaching and traveling the past three months, all of our belongs are currently in pods waiting for instructions and when we land in the US in less than a week we will be calling Nashville home. We will now be splitting our time between Nashville and Italy. Lucky for a us we are staying at a friend’s home all of July while she is traveling and we begin our house search.
Two and half years ago everyone was guessing where we were moving before we told you we were staying in the same town and had purchased the mid-century. All of your guesses were correct though. Everyone guessed Nashville to be near the kids and our beloved Bellagio. So, after our sweetest of pit stops, we will be splitting our days between Tennessee and Italy. We are not sure how it will all look. We don’t know if we will buy a small place in each or rent in one and buy in the other. Our hearts and hands are wide open. The sacrifices have been mighty but the payoff to be with those we love above all else is the best feeling in the world. I teach others to get clear in each area of their life how they want their life to look and feel. Sometimes that looks like selling dream properties and selling most of your furniture so you can have family dinners any night of the week. What are dream properties without our dream family!
You may be asking…
Are you nervous? Absolutely!
How does it feel to start over after over 25 years in Colorado? Exciting and scary!
Will we miss Colorado? Yes, but we will be back often and the mountains can’t keep us away.
What are you excited about? Easy! Being close to the kids, an incredible creative community, being closer to NYC, driving distance to the ocean, the ability to grow anything, time with friends we love deeply, and living where we can walk and ride our bikes instead of getting in a car to live our day to day life.
I can’t wait to follow the rest of this story. I am excited for you and Kelly and your family and I am pretty darn excited that you will be only 6 hours away in Nashville!
I am so excited about that! I feel like the luckiest to be instantly closer to people like you!
I am so excited for you and Kelly! Sounds amazing. I’m especially happy that you had the mid-century home, if only for a brief time. It was a dream realized and will make this new adventure all the sweeter. I’m thankful for my Colorado memories and the wonderful friends that are in my life still today from those amazing times in your studio, home and land. Praying for you and your families continued blessings.
I agree! Saying yes to that house was a fulfillment of a sweet promise. I knew when we bought it that we would not stay long but it was significant in many ways before we moved forward. Thank you for your prayers! Love so much that you made sweet friends from the workshop. We have been so blessed by that with so many people.
As always time spent in a loved place is the best time. God bless your journey.
It’s a dream of mine to take a workshop with you someday…
I would love that!
Oh Jeanne, I am sooo incredibly happy for you m, Kelly, and the kids!! What an adventure! What an honor to experience life near adult children (it’s pure joy, isn’t it!) We will be praying for your next steps, for the Lord’s wisdom and guidance! (I’m not going to lie the thought of you closer makes me giddy!)
I am giddy too! Praying for your whole family all of the time!
Good for you! Follow your heart.❤️
Thank you!
Good for you! Follow your heart.❤️
Jeanne + Kelly!! Miss you! Loved meeting you both in Scotland/UK retreat at the start of your incredible next chapter! Life wildly opens doors in ways we cannot even imagine!! Enjoy the adventure!! And…. Colorado misses you!!❤️Jody
We LOVED spending that time with you! You are a joy filled person and you blessed everyone around you will your heart and humor.
I get it!!!!…..as we are living on our 40 acre family compound with our kids and grandkids, separated only by long driveways. Being with your kids…there’s nothing better!!!!
That sounds like heaven!
So excited for you! I’ve lived in Tennessee for 42 years and glad to call it home. Hope see workshops in the Nashville area! 🙂
Yes, you sure will. I have held several already in Franklin.
Good for you Jeanne. The way you follow your heart continues to inspire me and shows me what’s possible. I hope to attend another live workshop soon. I miss you ❤️.
I miss you too! I hope to see you in Nashville!
Good for you Jeanne. The way you follow your heart continues to inspire me and shows me what’s possible. I hope to attend another live workshop soon. I miss you ❤️.
Congratulations Jeanne and Kelly! It’s’ so lovely to hear good news in a crazy World. I really look forward to following your journey…it’s always colorful and filled with interest and beauty!
Thank you so much!
Wow Jeanne! So much filled your past few months. I knew being an empty nester would bring changes for you. We were so fortunate to have our three daughters nearby for many years. Then one night at dinner at our oldest daughter’s home, we got the news she and her husband were moving their family to Tennessee. Shannon’s husband’s job was relocating. I wish you well in finding a new home or homes. It is hard to be away from loved ones. As I age, now in the winter of my life, and having gone through the empty nest phase long ago, I can say the pull for nearness to loved ones remains.
Thank you for taking the time to share this!
I was thinking you would move East with all of your kids in Nashville. You are so lucky to have them all in one place.
I am so excited to join you in my first workshop with you in Versailles in September. I have dreamed of doing a workshop with you and Kelly and hopefully the kids. I live in WV just 2-3 hrs from Versailles.
We are soooo blessed that they all landed in the same place. Sure made it an easier decision!
I am so thrilled for you and Kelley!! This news feels so right for you and family. Tennessee and Italy will also benefit by your presence. And we all will all be cheering you on! Grateful you bring us along. Blessings and love to you!
So kind! Thank you.
I am so thrilled for you and Kelley!! This news feels so right for you and family. Tennessee and Italy will also benefit by your presence. And we all will all be cheering you on! Grateful you bring us along. Blessings and love to you!
Wow~ that’s cool! What a way to go! A friend of mine once said happiness is not the destination it is the way we travel on the way to the destination. Seems like you’re mastering the art of happiness. Big smiles all around!
What a message! Thank you!
Jeanne, thank you for always being open to sharing your creative, spiritual, and many times personal journey.
I have to say that this journey has truly inspired me to continue discerning what God has in store for me next. I had peeked outside the box of doing the traditional, rational, logical thing and sell my house, buy another rational, sensible house. I mentioned it to my son and he looked at me like I was crazy. However, now I believe I am still being nudged by the Spirit to continue thinking outside the box. And I have decided to not let age define what I can and cannot do.
Thank you. Blessings and peace as you and your husband’s journey continues.
Thank you for sharing all of this! PLEASE keep me in the loop when you decide what you are doing.
Jeanne, thank you for always being open to sharing your creative, spiritual, and many times personal journey.
I have to say that this journey has truly inspired me to continue discerning what God has in store for me next. I had peeked outside the box of doing the traditional, rational, logical thing and sell my house, buy another rational, sensible house. I mentioned it to my son and he looked at me like I was crazy. However, now I believe I am still being nudged by the Spirit to continue thinking outside the box. And I have decided to not let age define what I can and cannot do.
Thank you. Blessings and peace as you and your husband’s journey continues.
Hi Jeanne,
I am actually considering the same constellation right now – between TN and Italy. My husband is Italian and we lived there for a time, now we live in Costa Rica.
Where in Italy are you thinking?
When do you plan to be in which place? I am contemplating this as well.
Here’s to new chapters!
So many rewards living near family. We left South Africa five years ago and moved to a small town in Scotland to be near our children and grandchildren. Both the other in-laws miraculously did the same . We literally all started again in our sixties!
It was not easy but Gods protection, provision and love was there for all of us .
I pray the same for you and your family . xxx
So many rewards living near family. We left South Africa five years ago and moved to a small town in Scotland to be near our children and grandchildren. Both the other in-laws miraculously did the same . We literally all started again in our sixties!
It was not easy but Gods protection, provision and love was there for all of us .
I pray the same for you and your family . xxx
Hello Jeanne and Kelly, so happy that you have made the decision to move closer to the family and kids! Indeed, what are dream properties without family? Given up a dream you attained isn’t easy, but dreams change and both of you are incredibly brave to do that. I hope you get the chance to settle down after all the overseas trips are over – good luck on finding your new dream home!