Her New House

April 6, 2008 queenmom

I had a pleasant shock of emotion yesterday. We helped our oldest daughter, Princess, unpack and start to settle into her new home. She is 21, living on her own, working fulltime and going to college parttime. She has rented her first house and we went to help her and see the house–thinking the latter would help keep my mom-worry to a minimum.

I couldn’t believe the house when we drove up to it–it was my dream of a house–the Arts & Crafts Bungalow–and was it cute. What made it even more appealing to me–the doer-type person–is that it needed work. Not a ton, mostly maintenance. Wow. I was in heaven.

As we walked up the front steps and onto what seemed to be the largest porch I have ever experienced, I felt like I was stepping into an Arts & Crafts magazine. The porch was roomy and cozy. It was about fifteen feet above street level making for a nostolgic neighborhood feel. I could picture neighbors and friends sitting on the porch enjoying conversation and drinking iced tea.

To add to my euphoria–the yard and garden were amazing. The previous owner works at a nursery so she filled the yard with plants found in an authentic bungalow gardens. With yesterday being our first real spring day, many green tips were poking up through leaves which did not get raked last autumn. The uncut dead plants, also from last fall, revealed the promise of their beauty to come this summer.

“A hydrangea! Princess, you have a hydrangea! And it’s huge!”

As I stepped into the house I immediately was overwhelmed with another Arts & Crafts original–between the living room and dining room were four-foot wood cabinets with lead glass doors and on top of the cabinets sat round pillars supporting the ten foot ceilings. The view was surreal. I have only seen Arts & Crafts homes in magazines. I have never been in one.

Once through the living room, the dining room held its own treat. The wall on the right of the room had a window seat and the windows above it were a simple stained glass. Wow.

The kitchen was small, but was full of bungalow originals. I felt like I was stepping back into the 1940′s.

We all had fun working both inside and out, and getting to know the this dear old house, that for a time will be home to my firstborn. Nothing like working together to get to know someone and the same is true for old homes. Hubby did electrical work, the heavy lifting and a security check. The girls and I organized, moved boxes and furniture and did a bit of yard work.

My natural inclination would be to go in and take over. But I remembered how I felt as a young adult on my own for the first time. I wanted to do my house my way. I didn’t want my mom telling me the best way to do eveything. So I bridled my tongue without bridling my enthusiasm. I wasn’t perfect, but I accomplished my goal–to bless, support and help my daughter while keeping our relationship strong.

What about my mom-worry? Did seeing the house help calm that? Yes and no. Yes, the house is secure and I was glad about that and it passed the Hubby security check. But I looked around the surrounding area and, while it is better than the last neighborhood she lived in, I wasn’t comfortable it was totally secure. Then I the realization came to me–no area is totally safe. We lock our doors at night, even the car doors that are on the driveway. There is nothing I can do to keep her totally safe.

Then this morning in church God gave me assurance He has the situation under control. The pastor read, “The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.” (Psalm 147:11) That was exactly what I needed to hear. My hope was in God’s unfailing love for my daughter. What more could I ask or expect? I will sleep well tonight.

I look forward to many more days caring for this bungalow and helping my daughter achieve her dreams of independence and a college degree. Maybe someday she will own a bungalow of her own.