Caleb and Lorelei
In August, our friends Ryan and Tiffany asked if they could stay with us for awhile during renovations on their home. (A faulty bathroom pipe on the second floor had caused flooding.) We happily welcomed them in, not knowing what lay ahead in the six weeks that were to follow...
Grandpa and Grandma Wanaselja with Miles in 2010.
Our story really begins with these two: Oley & Lulu Wanaselja, my grandparents. In April of 2010, they sold Ryan & Tiffany their house in New Hampshire. The Robinsons moved in with their two children Matthew and Annalise and Tiffany's grandmother Betty Trask.
Up until then we had been "house-sitting" for my grandparents. The timing worked out well, however, since we were about to leave on our first trip to Spain. We packed up all our belongings and moved in temporarily with Charis' parents.
Moving out of the Wanaselja house.
Fast forward over two years to the present and we find ourselves again preparing to leave for Spain - and we find our lives again intersecting with that of the Robinson family!
This time we have Ati as the latest addition to our family, and the Robinsons have Lorelei...
Lorelei
Lorelei encountered some major milestones during her time with us. She began with scooting across the room on all fours and now has graduated to pulling herself up to a standing position. She also got her very first teeth at our house! ...And had her first birthday!
Ryan and Tiffany slept with their three children in our spare room downstairs - not sure how they did it and kept their sanity, but they did!
What was life like in our home with six children (ages 7, 5, 5, 3, 3, & 1)?
Chaotic? You bet! But in the midst of the chaos we all discovered community. And it was like finding treasure buried under a mass of rocks and dirt. It's something we all crave but rarely experience because of our fragmented, busy lives.
In a very real sense, the Robinsons' presence kept us sane. At a time in our lives when our focus was very inward - Spain, paperwork, raising support, packing - we were forced to look outward.
We found ways to help each other. Charis and Tiffany took turns cooking and shopping. We watched their kids so they could work at their home; they watched ours so we could go on a date.
What was life like in our home with six children (ages 7, 5, 5, 3, 3, & 1)?
Chaotic? You bet! But in the midst of the chaos we all discovered community. And it was like finding treasure buried under a mass of rocks and dirt. It's something we all crave but rarely experience because of our fragmented, busy lives.
In a very real sense, the Robinsons' presence kept us sane. At a time in our lives when our focus was very inward - Spain, paperwork, raising support, packing - we were forced to look outward.
We found ways to help each other. Charis and Tiffany took turns cooking and shopping. We watched their kids so they could work at their home; they watched ours so we could go on a date.
Me with the kiddos: Miles, Matthew (Beaner), Annalise (Noodle), Lorelei, Caleb, and Ati.
Movie night
And in-between work and renovations we enjoyed each other's company: campfires, evening chats, times around the dinner table...
Campfire and s'mores
Annalise
Miles and Matthew
Ati and Annalise - partners in crime...
Ryan (left), Lorelei, and "Uncle Jon" (Watson)
Our kids loved having extra playmates at home! They all got along... most of the time! Ati and Annalise liked to have screaming competitions on the trampoline. Miles and Matthew roamed the yard for frogs, bugs, and worms. Caleb was great with Lorelei.
I think there are two things we guard closely here in America: our time and our space.
But it is in sharing those two precious commodities that we have the opportunity to experience a life that I believe is a lot closer to what God intended it to be.
The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Ephesian church:
But it is in sharing those two precious commodities that we have the opportunity to experience a life that I believe is a lot closer to what God intended it to be.
The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Ephesian church:
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3, NLT)
The Robinsons are moving out today... just as we begin packing up our home for our imminent trip back to Spain. We thank God for Ryan and Tiffany and their kids. We thank God that two years ago my grandparents sold their house to them. We thank God for a faulty bathroom pipe that brought this family into our lives in a big way.We have enjoyed sharing life together these past six weeks, and I think we'll all feel like something's missing when they leave.
Classic Lorelei...
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