We live in the city – have for the last 18 years (this week!). When my husband and I first got married we lived in the second house that was on my in-laws 30 acre farm. I thought I had moved to heaven! All my life I had lived in a two bedroom apartment – no land to plant anything in, no place to walk safely, constant people all the time! Moving to the country was AMAZING and I was THRILLED – for eight months! That’s when we got the call that we could serve with a ministry in inner-city Philadelphia for a two-year internship. Did I mention we’ve been here for 18 years? That’s a LONG internship!
After the two years were up we found we really loved the work God had called us to do and also found out we were expecting our first little one! We began to look for a house to buy. At first we looked with an agent, but he wasn’t listening to where we wanted to live. We then started looking for for sale signs on our own. On a walk with a friend, I spied this cute little house with a front yard containing a tree, bush, and a flower plot! Almost unheard of in our area. 
I showed it to Andy and we immediately called the realtor listed on the sign. We got in the house the next day and it was love at first sight! The kitchen was HUGE! And it had amazing windows! What was even more amazing was the backyard! It, too, was HUGE! Most backyards in our neighborhood are referred to as “postage stamp” size. Ours is at least four yards put together! It’s wonderful!
Flash forward 15 1/2 years, four kids, and a cat later and we seem to have run out of room! Two years ago, Andy thought the same thing and built a deck off the schoolroom. 
At first I HATED it! He tore apart the wall in my schoolroom to put the door in and then the whole deck thing was mess. He decided to fiberglass the deck do that the underneath would stay dry and we could use it during gentle rains. He had to do it at night because the weather was so hot and it required a certain temperature to cure. It took a lot of time, money and energy and I wasn’t sure it was worth it.
Today, I am thankful for my husbands wisdom in building this deck! I spent the morning scrubbing the winter/ spring grime off the fiberglass deck. 
I went to Target and finally found the perfect table to put out there, one where the kids can do schoolwork on the warmer days and we can play games at.
I also set up Drew’s baby pool – much to his delight!
We planted flowers in the flower boxes and are really hoping the squirrels stay out of them this year! Last year they pulled up every flower that was in them.
If I can’t live in the country, I guess this is the next best thing. If I close my eyes and just listen I can hear tons of birds singing and can imagine I’m living back home on the 30 acre farm. We even have a fountain that sounds a bit like Mom Schultz’s fish pond! So, for now I’ll enjoy my backyard oasis and be thankful for God’s blessing!
No comments:
Post a Comment