This Could Be About You...

My house is quiet.
All are sleeping,
except me.

As I look around my living/dining/kitchen I began to think of all the people who have graced the inside of these walls.

Of course it all started with the boys in a back room while Steve and I put down all the tile expect like 5 pieces.
The boys grew and soon the Lego table first appeared in the living room during the hurricanes of 2004.
You remember them,
Charlie,
Francis,
Jean.

Then entered my friends,
Oh if these walls could talk.
There seemed for several years to be a steady stream of crafty high school girls and their mentors, aka my friends, filling up every bean bag, chair or spot at the bar. 
pre-teen boys shooting stop-motion Lego videos, growing to teenagers where X-box and poker became the new fav.
my grandmother, 
my grandkids,
high school friends,
elementary friends,
Florida friends,
cousins form Indonesia, Alaska, California, Virginia and Maine.

We've had movie nights and Lord of the Ring Marathons,
birthday parties and a bachelorette party (please Lord may I never have to plan one of these again, we should have just got drunk at a bar).

Tons of people have welcomed in a new year here, I know because you signed the guest book!! 

Homeschoolers have carved their first pumpkins here
and the walls were bursting for
2 different graduation parties.

You've watched my kitchen get tore apart,
our lawn be transformed
and I'm sure you can't figure out where the heck I've moved the trash can to now?

For all of you who have done life here at our house,
around my bar or wherever-
Thank You
I am thankful for you.
and please do come again.

-m

My Living Room

One day I will get my living room back.
Whatever that may mean.
We don't have a family room like I always wished for.


Instead we have a living room allowing all the noise in it to be heard throughout the whole house.


We have a living room with tons of throw pillows that never seem to stay on the sofas.


A living room full of laughter and jokes, conversation overheard and first words.


I have tried for several years now to record in my thankful journal all the things I am thankful for. The book A Thousand Gifts is a good read about the art and perspective of giving thanks.


I've never really typed that list here, parts of the list sit on papers crammed in a notebook and still a part is engraved in my phones "notebook".


Perhaps, if time and my brain allows, I will record more on this small space I occupy on the web.


Today I am thankful for...
1. A living room filled with boys playing video games
2. and little girl toys
3. a full recycling container 
4. wind in the trees reminding me of unseen mystery
5. a heart missing family because my heart has family to miss
6. the smell of fall and maple butter candles
...


So what are you thankful for and what characteristics does your living room have?