The downstairs room is basically finished now. All but one of the kids switched rooms, and the one who didn’t now has his own dresser. What I’m learning about teenagers is that there’s a differentiation that has to occur. As kids grow they become more and more their own person. For us that was signified by giving the oldest kids their own rooms. The one who’s already had her own room moved to a different room that has a closet where she can hang her clothes and organize her things.

Obviously people in third world countries who live in one room huts live differently. They find their own ways to do things when it comes to raising their families. Right now we’re blessed with a fairly large house with lots of space. It may have been messy, but it’s never felt cramped to me. If we ever did need to house family members or refugees there actually would be plenty of room to do so. I would just like to continue making the space we’ve been given as usable and as pleasant to be in as possible.

Something I need to remember about my kids working at camp is that when I worked at camp I rarely ever went home. On the weekends I was happy to stay where I was. I didn’t have a car until I bought one from our neighbor. Before that if I went home it was because someone from camp would bring me, usually my now husband. I don’t remember if he did his own laundry or if his mom did it. It seems to me God blesses most with the gift of having at least one chore we don’t mind doing.