House Daydreams

Since we got married 7 1/2 years ago, we have lived in 4 different houses, 2 different states, 3 different cities. That is not including the 2 summers (2 different apartments) in New York City. I have really sweet nesting memories in each place.

We have lived in this house for 3 1/2 years, a record by far. We have loved this house, but it has been a transition since we moved from a larger house in a different state where the housing prices were lower. Since it is smaller AND our family has grown, we sometimes daydream about adding on or moving.

Not so easy though. We bought this house at the top of the housing market... just before the economy went south (thanks in large part to that fabulous high housing market). The moves before--despite our short stays in the homes--we sold our houses quickly and made money on the sales. With the housing market's fall, we have needed to change our expectations about the ease of moving.

A year and half ago we listed our house when we knew we were expecting baby #3 and weren't sure where he was going to fit. After a few weeks, we decided the timing wasn't good and we would make it work here. Necessity is the mother of invention, and boy did we get creative with our storage. Thank you, Container Store. Thank you, storage unit.

Since the bedrooms were going to need to accomodate another person and crib, there wouldn't be space for toys. So, we turned a storage room attached to our garage into a playroom. We added indoor/outdoor carpet, paint, shelves, and a window unit for A.C. Since the boys share a room and wouldn't have space for more drawers in their room, we had their closet maximized with shelves, drawers, and only a little short hanging space (little boys don't have much to hang up!). We then put the rocker in our room. We also added a storage bench and shelf with hooks and baskets in our kitchen to try to make a little "mudroom" area for school bags, shoes, etc. And we added drawers to our pantry to make it more user friendly. We did a few other closet-enhancing strategies, and voila! We were set.

We still are set is the bottom line.

But every now and then, I still look around at houses and daydream about a little more space. Sometimes I chastise myself for that. We are so blessed; how can I want more? Other times I just think it's fun to creatively imagine other spaces and homes and how one would make that work.

Today, I was looking for this passage to help me get my mind right before the Lord: "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things" (Philippians 4: 8)

This reminded me that it's not necessarily wrong to daydream about a house (as long as I'm not coveting it and ungrateful for what I have and neglecting other things in my life that are true and truly my responsibility).

But I also read the part right above: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4: 6-7).

How sweet that I just don't need to worry about this. I can pray about it, be thankful, present my requests, and have God's peace guard me.

I'm feeling peaceful about our home.