Road Trip

My brother Pete and sister-in-law Sarah welcomed their fifth son into the world five months ago, and until recently, we hadn't met him.  FIVE MONTHS AGO!  Due to their grumpy, broken van, I haven't seen Sarah or Ezra for any recent family gatherings, but, howdy-doo!, they invited us to their new mansion, and we scrammed.

We took Debbie with us, because all children and adults like Debbie.  I took this picture when I was supposed to be packing the van.

To preface these snapshots of their mansion (snapshots which will annoy Pete, because he's trying to be cool about the whole thing), let me give a two-sentence background.  

1.  Pete and Sarah have lived in a little house in town for the last who-knows-how-many years, and with the expectation of Ezra's arrival, they began drafting plans for a bit-bigger home, even buying a plot of land on which to build it.

2.  At the last moment, God upset their plans with His largesse and gave them this beauty, closer to Pete's practice, larger by far, fancier by far, and less expensive by far.

How gorgeous is this house?!

I could not believe the open spaces, high ceilings, and nooks and crannies hidden all over the house.

The previous owners left much of the furniture there and sold it to them for pennies, and I think Pete and Sarah's decorating style, spare and serene, perfectly reveals the beauty of the house's bones. Pete made fun of me for all of my superlative gushing, but, Pete-- IT'S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOUSE THAT MAN HAS EVER BUILT!  NO OTHER HOUSE IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE WILL EVER SURPASS IT!

What?  You think the living room should include a window seat large enough to float an entire family?  

Done.

The ceilings should stop you in your tracks?

Done.

The owners should leave behind the cabinets the Mister had built to fit the space perfectly?

Okey-doke.

These are only some snippets.  Do you understand why I gushed?

Moving on:

Debbie admires Sarah's beautiful artwork. 

Chocolates on the pillow.  (Like a hotel!)

As if all this wasn't enough, one of their neighbors has chickens (to chase!) and a tree fort (with a pulley!).

Oh, yes.  We drove to see a baby instead of a house, huh.  I cooed over Ezra, stroked his skin, admired his sunshine self, and only took two pictures.  Dummy!

Sweet, sweet baby.  I'd take him over the mansion any day of the week.

But the mansion has a two-story barn!  And a secret backyard garden!

 (Ezra's still better.)

I include this picture because one can see the garden gnomes cautiously emerging. 

Just be glad they're wearing underwear for once.

Walking through their home, I felt such gratefulness for the Father's provision, which was far beyond anything they could have ever imagined or expected.  There were many parallels to the unsought path that opened before John and I when we bought the old homestead here, and it made me feel grateful and guilty and happy, all at once.

Bah, enough about the house.  As Pete says, "It's just a house."  

He's right.  On to the people!