about home

 I found an old photo of myself this week and it made me stop and wonder about my journey in life.

Here I see a little girl who was always redesigning rooms or wearing fabulous kimono style shirts :) 

Actually the back of the photo said 

" Jennifer as usual playing make believe"

(could have been my senior quote!)

This picture explains far more about me than I once thought. 

Like my desire to live in children's books that have great houses.

Those tree lined streets of the Arthur book series come to mind:)

My ability to escape in my head with thoughts of making.

 My home has been my source of making.

Making memories, food, cookies, clothing, costumes, pillows, blanket fort houses, our actual house, gardens, holiday nesting...you name it...my home has been my canvas.

 Dictating my moods and time in all seasons. 

My home is not just my house...it is a part of me and an integral part of how our family lives.

Clay said our time in the Milkbarn was essential for us to teach our children how to work and provide for themselves through self reliance.

 Nothing was borrowed. No debt incurred. 

But that was then.

  what are we doing now?

I found this last week. Audrey is now designing houses for herself. It's funny how I really do not want my children to be like me. And that says maybe too much about my self esteem or confidence...(that I really do not want to share). But she put a window over the kitchen sink and I thought well done...

I have taught her well!

Home is where you can make your life grow. 

For some, a high school can house many homes for teens.

And somehow this young man put his life into gear this year and

 music was the key:)

 To know Henry intimately is to know he has a soundtrack to his life going on at all times. A beat to walk to. A serenade to cry to. I am so happy for him that after a year off, he is now connecting with his talents and his HEART to play!

He is participating in marching (clarinet) and jazz band(piano, vibraphone, percussion...including COW BELL)

and will do winter drum line come January :)

Don't be too quick to call those kids "band nerds".

 To know what makes you tick and go after it

 is the coolest and bravest thing you could ever experience!

Especially in a phase of life where everyone just wants to blend in 

and not stand out.

As my father in-law puts it "who cares what anyone thinks of you" :)

No truer words can be said to a teen.

plus, he suddenly looks older to me 

home at the beach

It gives my spirit a reboot.

I feel incredibly blessed to be within an hour of it now. 

It is our extended backyard...and to know me is to know how much I need nature to restore my sanity.

me and my boys

home in the backyard

trying to grow lemons...or limes :)

So back to our home now. 

What is its purpose?

This has been difficult for me this past year. I have had no real energy to put into making my house feel like a home...or at least the way I would like to. 

So what is it to me? What is it to you?

To be open. To invite in.

We had some very close friends and examples around us in Boulder. 

They showed us how to give effortlessly. Be gracious. Be interested in others. 

No big displays, just showing up and doing what we can.

 Opening our home to friends, basketball girls, church and extended family.

 Our physical home can bless others right now. I think we were tutored by the best examples. 

So until we recover some creative and physical energy, we'll be here...