I told you I was shutting down my blog this summer as my family moves from Ohio to South Dakota, but I just gotta share something. Then I’ll go dark again, I promise.
We are temporarily living in a college rental house. Think keg parties and red Solo cups. Come August, this grand house will get all the excitement she can handle. But for the next six weeks, it’s home for Team Phillips.
My new friend, Hillary, owns the house and knew it would be the perfect place for our family. Plenty of bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a backyard for Dakota! Hillary saved us from crawling all over each other in a cramped economy hotel room. Yay Hillary!
The only teeny-tiny problem is that it isn’t furnished. Also, no TV or internet. We bought a couch and a kitchen table, so we have somewhere to sit. We bought each member of the family 1 plate, 1 bowl and 1 cup. Everybody washes their own dish. (Why didn’t I implement this plan years ago?) We bought each member of the family a pillow and a sleeping bag and an $8 air mattress from Walmart.
We have everything we need, but I get the strange feeling my kids are going to tell their kids someday about the Summer of 2019.
The house is probably 100 years old. It has beautiful dark wood and a claw-foot tub. Lots of character. My youngest child thinks character is spooky.
Ben refuses to go upstairs alone, so the minute I blew up my air mattress, he blew up one beside me. We now share a room.
Each night, Ben gets into his sleeping bag and I get into mine. Then he reads to me from Diary of a Wimpy Kid and we giggle. Then we shut off the light and his 9-year-old hand reaches for mine. He falls asleep holding my hand.
Friends, I’m writing today because my heart is full. I am reminded through this transitional time that blessings hide in the oddest places. I thought maybe you could use the reminder, too. If things in your world aren’t the way they’re supposed to be, may you reach out and find a hand to hold – or may you be one.
