Family

Today I was looking at our family's growth chart, on the panel next to the refrigerator, there are initials on that chart of people who aren't a part of our immediate family, friends of the kids, aunts, uncles, cousins, all measured on our wall. It's kind of a reflection of the activity and the people in and out of our home. Every time I look at it I smile to see where we have been and to wonder at where we are going. The chart is in a most conspicuous place, not hidden from company or family. Every once in a while one of the kids will jump next to wall and insist on being measured. Generally I oblige them because I'm curious too. I'm about to start refusing to measure Katie though as she is already over an inch taller than me at the age of 12! Friends and family who see the chart generally stop to look and marvel at the growth. As I mentioned the chart is in plain view and it occurs to me that it is kind of indicative of our home. The fact that a large family lives in this house is in plain view, not because of family pictures, although there are a few we don't have tons adorning the walls, not that I don't love family pictures but...well that's a whole other blog, but because of all the stuff out for everyone to see. There are school books in the dinning room, along with book bags and pencils there are indentations all over the table because everyone, seemingly, refuses to write on a folder to save the table. We have a video game, including drums, sitting in the living room and blankets are generally not in the lovely basket they are assigned to. Our home isn't a show place, it's clean but rarely neat and tidy. At times I get frustrated with amount of stuff in our house. I get frustrated, okay really annoyed, when I trip over a toy or step on a pencil, but it's a home and a family lives here and children are everywhere. I want my home to be warm and inviting to people, but mostly I want my family to feel peace here. I want our home to be about our kids, our family, I want them to make their mark, and believe me they are!

One day in the future our house will be quiet and everything will be where it belongs. The growth chart will be stagnant, the video games will be put away and a family will have grown up in our home, but it won't be the same. So for right now I will enjoy the mess, the clutter, the constant activity...at least I'll try to because I know it's only for a season.

So for those who might stop by my house just remember a family lives within these walls!