I Want to be That House

I took this picture last year of my children playing with neighbors, and it is one of my favorites!

Last night, there was a football game being played in my yard. Half of the children weren’t mine, just kids and teens from our neighborhood who stumbled upon the game and joined in. And as a neighbor walked by with her dog, we stood in my driveway chatting about the start of the school year. A bit later, a car stopped and another neighborhood boy got out and joined in, his mom pulling over and joining the adult chat as the daylight was fading.

Eventually, it got too dark and everyone hurried back to their own homes. My kids were sweaty and grassy and got into bed far too late on a school night for my liking. But, as they climbed the stairs to get cleaned up, they were chatting non-stop about the fun they’d had. And as I shooed them along while cringing at the late hour, I couldn’t help but also feel a sense of happiness at what had just transpired.

I’ve always wanted to be THAT house, the one where people of all ages gather to share a meal or play games or sit and share conversation.

I’ve always wanted to be THAT house, the one where someone sees us out in the yard and decides to join us for a bit before they make their way home.

I’ve always wanted to be THAT house, the one where someone feels comfortable enough to hang out in a bar stool and chat while I load the dishwasher or wash the things in the sink.

I’ve always wanted to be THAT house, the one where kids feel safe enough to be themselves and feel loved and tell me about school and friends.

I’ve always wanted to be THAT house, the one where hospitality oozes from every surface and there are no expectations of anything other than genuine love and laughter.

I’ve always wanted to be THAT house, the one where the closest of friends but also strangers alike can feel welcome in the midst of the chaos.

Our house doesn’t always do right, and we are so far from perfect. But, oh Lord, I am just praying that our family is always striving to be THAT house, that our kids will carry that into adulthood and want to be THAT house too, that the people who come and go will remember fondly that we were THAT house.

At the end of the day, I always hope that where ever I live and whoever comes along, that my house is forever THAT house and feels oh so wonderfully like home.