Day 4

I have been on a major cleaning/clearing/sorting/changing phase this week.

After discussing how we could switch rooms around to make the arrangements best for the kids changing needs and playing styles, we decided the 3 youngest girls, 8 yr., 6 yr., and 3 yr. olds, play the most alike and share the majority of the toys in this house. It made sense that they should be moved in together into the largest room.

The largest room happened to be MY bedroom, which we refer to as "the apartment." It actually started out that way. When we added a large two car garage to the house, our daughter was entering college. We assumed she could use a little more space to study in, and get away from the noise around here, so we planned ahead (which is not typical for us)to make a nice space for her. Before it was finished, she decided to try life on her own in an apartment just out of town, and the apartment didn't need to be finished.

Until our son met the woman of his dreams, planned a marriage on a shoestring, and needed a cheap place to rent. He and his fiance' finished the painting, added some touches to make it their own, finishing it just in time to return to after their honeymoon. They inhabited the space until the Coast Guard sent him to Maine, so they packed up their belongings, our first grandchild, and left the apartment open again.

We toyed with the idea of renting the space, but at the time, our family was growing and it seemed like a better idea of opening it up to the main house, and making it into bedrooms.

Shortly after that, we repainted, got rid of the apartment sized appliances, and suddenly, we had a nice size room that 3 girls could share. It became a girly, cotton candy pink heaven for the three older girls. The two youngest, at the time, had their own rooms, and so did the oldest boy.

Fast forward to now. We have one teenage boy, who was thrilled to make a nice space in the old basement room his oldest brother used to have, by painting it to look very sporty and perfect for a young man. The next one is quickly nearing the teenage mark, when she turns 13 this November. She has her own space, but the next budding teen is sqawking about needing a bit more privacy. Normally, I believe it doesn't hurt for kids to share their spaces and thus learn valuable lessons about getting along, and co-operation. We had already converted the lower half (the garage) into bedroom space last year, so now all the kids, except new ones, would be sleeping in the same area of the house, while Mike and I will have the upstairs of the original house as our new domain.

But, we had the space, with a little tweeking! The major tweek came at me too fast. I would need to be the one to move! Soooooo, the short of it is, the apartment space that I had settled nicely into a couple of years ago, has now become the most prized space for the three youngest and all their toys!

It's not that I mind moving. I am actually enjoying going through everything and cleaning it out really well. I have also shuffled items from room to room, making the most use of the furniture we have, and since the move includes everyone except the 13 year old and 6 year old boys, EVERYTHING is upended!

But it feels good. I have been able to eliminate broken or unused toys, and by encouraging the kids to go through their personal items themselves, I have discovered they are more willing to part with things than I am!! They love the idea that their unwanted toys can now go to our local shelter, or thrift store, and other children will enjoy more playtime hours with their treasures.

It feels good to decide what is actually necessary to keep (since I am going to a much smaller room!!) and what I can discard. I can part with old purses and shoes now, keeping only what I truly need.

I like the feeling that my older kids will now have individual spaces to be in charge of, while the messiest of them all will share a space out of the center of our home, so if it's not on one of their cleanest days, it really won't stress me out when company shows up to visit! They will actually have closets big enough for the mounds of stuffed dogs they lovingly harbor, and still have room for their clothes to hang! The oversized bookshelf fits nicely on the wall by the window, with room enough for a small table and chair which will aid in their reading pleasure.

I am teaching my young girls that we can switch spaces, use what we have, and with a new coat of paint on the walls or furniture, we can create a space that's just right for our needs now! One of my daughters would love to go to the IKEA store in Chicago, pick out all new furniture and accessories, and put together the room of her dreams. I am encouraging her to repaint, repair and reposition what we have to make a nice room, and one she can be excited to share with her friends.

It's a tall order, but here we are on day 4 and it's finally taking shape. It is alot of work, and my back screams at me every night when I have fallen into bed, exhausted but pleased with the days accomplishments.

It is all part of a growing family, making room for the next ones, while preserving the space others need too. Our hard work is paying off, and by next week I hope to be able to sit back to enjoy the results of our labors.

For today, I think my break is over now, and there is someone calling my name. Sigh...I know it will all be worth it in a few more days....

Just a few more days.