Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Nuts and Bolts {Part 3}

Here’s the final post in this series, as I only have one more question to answer:

I'd also like to hear the nuts-n-bolts about how you have housed everyone- did you move, add-on, or what? How have you decided how to put what kids in what rooms, with whom?

 

Back in the summer of 2005, we moved to our current home on our little ranch in our little town in the hill country of Texas.  (We used to live across the street!)  The original plan had been that once our former home sold, we would build a replica of an historical home on our new property.  We even took an RV trip to Pennsylvania to view the original historical home that was our inspiration, then we had an historical architect draw up the plans.

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Well, our home sold more quickly than we expected, so my husband decided that he would build a barn with guest quarters on our ranch, with the intention of temporarily living there while our other home was being built.  Thirty days into the barn project, I took a break from packing up our former home, and visited the site of our future temporary home.

 

I was stunned by how massive this “barn” was.  Stunned.  My husband had built a 4,000 square foot barn, which was not the plan!!!  He finished the project in just 62 days, and we moved in June 2005, still believing it was only temporary.

 

Well, this barn monstrosity really rocked my world at the time.  I just couldn’t commence with our former plans to build the historical home.  I couldn’t come to peace with that plan, so we took a year to pray, while living in our “temporary” residence—a 4,000 square foot barn with two bedrooms. 

 

After much prayer and contemplation, God revealed His plan.  We were to make the “barn” our permanent home.  We decided to renovate the barn and incorporate some of the historical features of the Pennsylvania inspirational home.

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Before we knew it, we had a 6,000 square foot home!!!!!!!  This was NOT the plan.  Ever!!!  At the time, we only had three kids.  Having this huge “barn” home that was never part of the plan really messed me up.  I couldn’t figure out why things turned out this way. 

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In late 2006, God revealed to me a small glimpse of His plan.  He didn’t give me the details, but He did give me peace.  The only piece of the puzzle He revealed had something to do with a retreat for children.  I didn’t understand what that meant exactly, but He washed me with such a peace that I was able to let go of the struggle of having such a large home with only three children.

 

In November 2007, God called us to adopt our first child, Meribeth.  He began to show us a tiny glimpse of this “children’s retreat”, although, at the time, we didn’t really think OUR children would be the ones enjoying the children’s retreat.  We thought maybe we’d host weekend retreats or summer camps or something for children who needed to find Jesus and be in a healthy environment, short-term.

 

Well, in an effort to make a long story somewhat shorter, here we are in 2012 with ten children living in our home.  God is good1  He knew all along that He planned to fill this home with many children, not children who would come once a year to enjoy this beautiful ranch, but children He would hand pick to permanently join our family.  We never would have guessed this back in 2005 when God started His blueprints on this plan!!!

 

So, to answer the question above, we haven’t had to move and we haven’t had to add on.  God had already provided the perfect “retreat” for His chosen children.

 

We have played “musical rooms” quite a bit though.  Every bedroom in our home (there are 5 bedrooms total) has been inhabited by various family members.  Usually God tells us who to house where, but that changes as the seasons of life change.  Currently, God has Selah (age 2) in a bedroom by herself in a crib.  Our three oldest girls share a room (the room that was originally our master bedroom, back when this barn had just two bedrooms).

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Above is an old photo of Selah’s room, which used to Mattie’s room, then it was Mattie’s and Meribeth’s room, then it was a girls’ playroom, and now it’s Selah’s room.

 

Below is a photo of our older girls’ bedroom, which was originally our master bedroom.

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Cooper and Conner share a bedroom with two cribs.  That bedroom was originally Sawyer’s bedroom (back when we just had 3 kids).  Vlad and Dima (our host children and sons of our heart) also slept in this room, as it has a full-sized bed, in addition to the two cribs.

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In another bedroom, you’ll find Parker (15), Sawyer (12), Kiefer (4), and Ella (7).  Parker and Kiefer share the bottom queen-sized bunk, while Sawyer sleeps above them.  Ella sleeps in the top bunk of the other bunk bed in that same room.  Ella used to sleep in a small bed in the older girls’ bedroom, but we recently made this change, with confirmation from God that this would be the best arrangement for this season.  It’s working out well.  Kiefer and Ella are best friends and wanted to sleep in the same bedroom, but we needed supervision for them, so this works perfectly.

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I’m sure the sleeping arrangements will change again, just as the seasons come and go, but for now, this works well.  I have a feeling Ella and Selah (biological half-sisters) will one day share a room.  Our home is designed with a boys’ wing and a girls’ wing, with two bedrooms at one end of the house for the girls and two bedrooms at the opposite end of the house for the boys.  Currently, there are two full-sized beds that have no one sleeping in them, so there’s still space for adjustments to be made if necessary. 

 

We never know when or if God plans to bring us more children, but He ALWAYS provides.  ALWAYS.  Most of our children’s beds/cribs were given to us.  Our dining room table was provided for only the cost of the materials.  Seriously, Jehovah Jireh always lives out His name.  He is The Provider.  It wouldn’t matter if our home was 600 square feet or 6,000, He would provide abundantly regardless, and all our needs would be met.

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God is so good.  We praise Him for the many blessings He’s entrusted to us, and for His abundant provision along the way.

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