How it's not ugly at all … it's perfect.

Oh friends, grace! It’s way late Wednesday night. What a full day and this little update is not getting the time it deserves, but please let me share briefly about how wonderful our little ugly-beautiful home really is? In fact, how it’s not ugly at all … it’s perfect.

God knew. (Doesn’t He always?)

Here’s why: {and perhaps you too have reason to reflect on how perfect is the space you occupy at present?}

1. Huge great room with vaulted ceiling. It is living room/dining room/library/office/playroom and it wears every hat perfectly.

2. Kitchen that is way smaller than my other one but holds way more stuff! Not sure how that works but I unpacked every box and still had many empty cabinets.

3. Pretty leaded glass cabinet doors … who knew a kitchen could be a place to display beauty? My favorite are the kitchen cabinets filled with old books.  Who keeps books in their kitchen?? The Pattersons!

4. Long skinny window above the sink that looks out over fields, trees and barn. Catching a glimpse of Jeff and kids heading in from the barn, holding hands and swinging arms. (Picture above is from my kitchen window!)

5. 1,100 square feet (in the main living space) means close quarters. Love it.  Kids snuggle up in their shared room. I can see Dutch’s face on his pillow as I work in the kitchen at night. He watches me as I work, drifts to sleep.

6. Kids can play in bath and I can finish dinner dishes because the kitchen and bathroom are practically connected!

7. The best spot in the house: the view from my side of the bed. If you lie down all you can see are trees and sky in 180 degrees. You can’t tell how amazing it is until you lie down in just the right spot. God’s kiss just for me.

8. Exploring the barn with Dutch. There’s just something so cool about an old barn!

9. Picking a 5 gallon bucket of apples  in 15 minutes from our trees. Kids picked off the ground, mama did the tree. Bucket of tart green goodness just waiting for a piecrust. Mmm…

10. How the kids’ beds and furniture fit perfectly in their room.

11. The “bedroom” that’s not attached to the house, but randomly stuck onto the other side of the carport. Odd yes, but I decided to call it a Writing Cabin and now I’m in love. My own Walden Pond.

12. Lighting. Who knew it made all the difference? It feels warm, soft, inviting. Love the lighting.

13. One tiny bathroom means less to clean.

14. Squirrels everywhere!

15. Neighbor Lois. Talking over the fence.

16. Box of plums from her tree delivered to our door.

17. Living in a treehouse — the windows in every direction look at out trees. Living on the top floor makes it feel like a refuge. A high tower of safety. A haven.

18. Smell of wood fire burning, sound of kindling crackling in the early morning.

19. Using all the old stuff we have and love that didn’t look right in our brand new house.

And…of course there are the funny things. The “adjustment period” that includes:

1. Setting off the smoke alarm every single day. Yes, six days in a row. The electric coil stove is just a little different. I’m learning. {UPDATE at 8:06am Thursday making oatmeal: Make that seven days in a row…}

2. Trying to fit Heidi’s potty, the kid’s step stool, the scale, and the trash basket all on the 3′ square bathroom floor and still be able to open the door and get in the shower. We did it!

3. How my cell phone doesn’t work in the house … although I don’t mind that much…

4. How the doorbell doesn’t work. Sorry Community Group members, we didn’t know you were here!

All in all, I love this house. And I love what God’s doing in our family through it.  And thank you again for your grace. These next two weeks of our life are FULL, of wonderful things but full nonetheless … would you mind slipping up a prayer for us? And if a one-line post is all your feedreader finds from me, enjoy the extra five minutes you’ll have in your day and know there’s more to come. {Thanks for reading.}