MOVING STORY - The Everett Family
Skylar and Missy Everett are northerners who arrived in Tennessee as begrudging teenagers. But as fate would have it, they fell in love with Nashville and each other.
Missy, Canadian by birth, spent a few years in New York and then Florida before her family settled down her 7th-grade year in Franklin, TN. Children's book publishing was in their blood, so her father and two of his siblings established Flower Pot Press, which thrives today in downtown Franklin. Skylar grew up in New Jersey. Half-way through his junior year, his parents announced they were moving to Nashville. As you can imagine, Skylar wasn't thrilled, but his parents wanted to live closer to relatives who already transplanted. Plus, they could get more real estate for their money, and give Skylar's dad a chance to reconnect with the music business. They settled in Brentwood, TN.
In April 2008, Skylar began a pizza delivery job at Pie in the Sky. Missy was a seasoned waitress, and she noticed the new guy right away. Skylar cemented his first-impression when he failed to return that night. Missy remembers asking: "What happened to the new guy? He's been gone a long time." It turns out, Skylar totaled his car. While it wasn't the best start to his pizza career, it sparked a friendship that quickly grew to more. Unfortunately, time wasn't on their side. Missy was moving to Toronto in May to finish her undergrad. Skylar convinced her to push her departure date back so she could attend his birthday party. It was a bold move that he sealed with a first kiss, and it paid off. That morning Missy announced to her family that she would not be moving back to Canada.
Skylar and Missy finished their degrees at MTSU and married in 2012. When a job opportunity in Nashville presented itself, Skylar jumped on it. They were, after all, young professionals with plenty of free time to enjoy the downtown scene. They moved to Germantown. At the time, Germantown was up-and-coming, and both of their parents worried about safety. But Skylar could bike to work, and Missy was closer to Trevecca University, where she was finishing her master's degree in Counseling. They enjoyed walking to the farmer's market, restaurants, and downtown events. Eventually, Skylar transitioned to a remote job, Missy graduated, and they felt it was time to start a family. Living closer to relatives in the Williamson County school system was the next right move.
Family support became essential when Missy found out she was expecting twins and put on bed rest. Finn and Eila were born early at 28 weeks. While in the NICU, they were diagnosed with a rare skin condition called Ichthyosis. Typically, skin flakes off in microscopic particles, but for people with Ichthyosis, skin grows too fast and turns into plates that peel. This can be painful, and cracks in the skin can lead to infection. It also blocks them from sweating properly and can inhibit hair growth. But Skylar and Missy consider themselves lucky.
"It could have been so much worse," Skylar explains. During their time in the NICU, they saw babies born under a pound, babies undergoing multiple surgeries, and babies who never returned from surgery. Finn and Eila were strong, and their Ichthyosis was mild. Soon Skylar found himself with a happy problem—loud, running toddlers. Working remote from the kitchen table was no longer an option. It was time for the Everetts to buy their first house.
Om Living - Interior Design by Melissa Everett
They were renting a townhouse in a neighborhood they loved and wanted to stay. As luck would have it, the perfect home came on the market. It had an office for Skylar, and the price was right. Missy, an interior designer, needed room in their budget to make improvements. As a homeowner, this would be the first time she could change EVERYTHING, and that's what they did. They painted all the walls, replaced the countertops, upgraded the appliances and the faucets, changed every light fixture and every fan, and shiplapped the bedroom wall. Their next project is hardwoods in the bedroom and remodeling the bathrooms. You can see Missy's stunning designs on her Instagram page Om Living.
Skylar’s product design and front end development company
Today, the Everetts are enjoying their beautiful home. Skylar loves having a quiet space to work, and now has more time for his side business Eighty-Eight (product design and front end development). The twins graduated from their home therapies early and have started preschool, where they continue to surpassed educational milestones. The family loves everything about their house and the neighborhood. But big changes are on the horizon.
A summer spent in Canada revealed how much the twins benefit from a temperate climate. In Tennessee, the humidity keeps the twins inside most of the year. But in Canada, they played outside every day. Skylar describes it as "releasing lions into the wild." The sunshine and great outdoors gave the kids a different demeanor and healthier skin. The Everetts will miss Tennessee and their many connections here, but they need to do what's best for the twins. Whether it's Seattle, Portland, or Vancouver, the chosen city will be blessed to have this incredible family.
Skylar and Missy's advice to current homebuyers:
1) Leave room in your budget for movers, home improvements, and future repairs.
2) If you can afford it, and the timing works out, overlap your properties. The Everetts benefited from a full month of overlap between their rental agreement and officially moving into their new house. They had a laundry list of upgrades they wanted to complete before all the furniture showed up. "It's easier to make improvements when the house is empty."
3) "Don't underestimate a comfy crawl space." Having ample space under your house makes repairs easier. You don't want to find yourself inching on your stomach with a flashlight in your mouth.
4) "Don't fall for the finishes if you don't love the floor plan." You can make interior design changes later. The layout and location are permanent.
Skylar and Missy also offer us wisdom when interacting with special needs families:
"We're fine with people asking questions," Missy says, "I'd rather someone ask a question than just stare." When talking to your children about special needs, keep it simple. Ask your child what they have that other kids don't have. Things they weren't given a choice on like eye color or a birthmark. Remember, children observe everything you do. Model kindness and inclusiveness at home and in public. Many times Missy has been stopped by adults who think the kids "need more lotion," or look sunburned and "need to use sunscreen," or need "warmer jackets" in the winter. These strangers don't realize they have special skin and that too many layers will overheat them. "Pause," Missy advises, "And think about what might be happening before you offer unsolicited advice."
The Everetts have had disappointing encounters, like the time a boy shied away from high-fiving Finn and then made a rude comment. The child's parents didn't intervene or apologize. But they've also witnessed moments of kindness. During a yard sale, a child asked: "what's wrong with them?" The twins' friends jump right in. "Nothing is wrong. Their skin is just dry. They were born this way. It's not a big deal." For Missy, that moment confirmed that there will always be people in the twins' lives who will stand up for them.
Skylar believes Daniel Tiger says it best:
In some ways we are different
But in so many ways, we are the same
I use crutches
And I have a fuzzy tiger tail
But we both love the color red
I move a bit slow
And I can run really fast
But we both love playing together
I have fuzzy fur
And I have hair on my head
But we both have big brown eyes
I have hair on my head
I have striped fur instead
I feel grrr-iffic
Me too
Sometimes we feel the same
I have fingers and I have toes
I have paws instead of those
I feel so happy
So do I
Sometimes we feel the same
We are different but that's okay
Because sometimes we feel the same way
In some ways we are different
But in so many ways, we are the same
