Half-Way House

When we decided to build our house we knew that we would be living with my parents.  I say "living with" loosely.  Behind my parents house is a fully functioning 1 bedroom apartment.  It isn't huge, but is lovely.  The main room is massive and it has its own entry.  People always ask if they can rent it.  And the answer is always "no".  Why?  Because my parents prefer to use it for people (like us) who need a temporary home as they transition through different phases of their lives.  I have lost count of how many people they have shared the space with.  Some people stay for a night, a week, or a few months.  Most are my friends, who my parents now consider to be part of our family.

There are a few benefits that encouraged this choice.  We could save more while we were building.  My parents REFUSE for anyone to pay while living here.  We sneak things in, like buying toilet paper, and try to help out in other ways by mowing the yard or doing laundry for them once in a while.  We could also be literally a minute away from our build site.  If a contractor needs to ask a question I don't have to load the boys up in the car.  I just strap Nate into Levi's mini F-150 (thanks Grandmother) and walk beside them to the property.  And yes, my parents would be here to help us with our kids.  I have said it before and you will hear it again, but our children have been blessed with wonderful grandparents on both sides.  So yes, having childcare 10 feet away is a benefit.  Did you think I would leave that one out? :)

We have lived here before (this is actually my THIRD "lease").  Back when I was pregnant with Levi we knew that God had called me to be a stay-at-home mom.  So Phil put in for a transfer with EMSA and we sold our house in Broken Arrow.  We then moved into my parents "half-way house."  At the time we tried to bring as much of our stuff as we could comfortably fit in the apartment.  We didn't know how long we would be here.  Our original plan was 6 months.  Levi was a year old before we ended up moving.  

This time we opted for a more minimalist approach.  We brought most of the boys things and set them up in the one bedroom.  We purged our clothing and brought only what we wear.  I share the ONLY closet with the boys (yes, that is sometimes a struggle) and Phil uses a wardrobe in the living room.  Phil and I are living studio style and have a (full) bed tucked behind the couch in the living room.  Everything else got put in storage.  And honestly, it is so liberating.  I am so excited to come to the end of this journey and have a home that can be a hub for family gatherings, church activites and someday a hang-out for our kids and their friends.  But until then, we are loving our little place.