Love Grows Best in Little Houses

Once upon a time… I dreamed of living in a big house.

It would have this wrap around porch.  It would be colonial style and have 4 or 5 bedrooms.  I would have a walk in closet.  I would have my own bathroom.  Picture Barbie’s house… in real life.  I would have a garage.  I would have a fenced in back yard and be in the back of a culd-a-sac. 

 

Right now we have a fenced in back yard.  … that is about the extent of my dream house.

 

But… when I think about my grandparents.  My mom’s parents raised 5 children in a 2 bedroom house. **They had to add a small bedroom when my mom was born – and thus it became a 3 bedroom house**.  It only had 1 bathroom. The kitchen was small.  The living room was small.  … everything was small.

 

My dad’s parents raised 6 kids in a 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom house.  The boy’s room had 2 sets of bunk beds and the 2 girls had the other room.  8 people and one bathroom.  Love grows best.

 

I think we’ve decided to stay here for a little while.  Not forever… but a little while.  Maybe our love will grow best.  Yes – our master bedroom is 10.5 X 10.5 square feet.  Yes… the twins will need to share a room.  Or Andrew and Alexander will need to share a room.  Or…. I don’t know.  But – I think this is going to be the place we let our love grow.

Christmas Eve….

 

Addison, Andrew and Alexander made plates for cookies for Santa and carrots for Rudolph.  They needed to decorate them so Santa would know his plate and Rudolph would know his plate.

 

Best part?  They “forced” Alexander to help.  He helped with the stickers and crayons. *love*

It is all fun and games until Little Brother takes the plate.  Look at his sneaky face…. *love*

 

And then I remember my in-laws. Their master bedroom is a little bigger than ours. … But the rest of the house has a similar size. They only have one bathroom. They love.

Want to see? We all pile in… to where love grows best.

Siblings hug.  We all pile on the floor and play games together. 

Nana holds her granddaughters.  Andrew decides the Chair needs fixed…. so tool are scattered everywhere.

Siblings tease each other.  Her face really does say a million things.  As does his…

Presents are opened.  In one small living room.  Where love grows best.

Gifts are given.  Private Jokes are shared.  Nephews try to become detectives with their presents.

And underlying all of this – is the simple joy of being together. I think maybe we need to be smooshed in this small house together.  Where our love can grow the best. 

        

This picture was taken Christmas night.  You might not be able to tell – but they are holding hands.  You can’t walk through our living room.  There are stacks and stacks of things piled high on our bedroom dresser.  But – our kids are still hugging.  We hope you had a Merry Christmas.  We did.  It was wonderful.  Church on Sunday, celebrating the birth of Jesus, more time with family, and evenings spent with friends.  And every night… returning to our little house.