Happy 4th Birthday House!

While driving on the freeway this morning (destination: Target) I was thinking about Lilian.  I had just buckled her into her carpool and sent her off to preschool.  She'd fought me on it.  Not about going to preschool, necessarily, because she is hugely enjoying being back with Miss Cindy.  No, it was the timing she was upset about.  She'd been playing with Sophie making "pies" in Jake's backyard sandbox...and, obviously, having a glorious time.

So, thoughts about Lilian.  Specifically how many little friends she has within a few yards of our front door.  I thought about her growing up with not only Sophie and Jake but also Charlie, Ashton, Sam, Tanner, Jaya, Julianna...the list goes on and on.  And I smiled as I wondered if she'd date or even marry any of these boys she daily plays with.  I thought about Brandon, Julianne and Rebekah and the good groups of friends they consistently surround themselves with.  Also about the friends Bryan and I have made...the wonderful associations that I hope will continue for years to come seeing as this is where we plan to stay permanently.

And I found myself overcome with a feeling of rightness.  That my family was thriving and that this was where we are meant to be.

I cried.

Because, interestingly enough, this was not the first time I'd felt this exact same feeling.  The last time was a little over four years ago.  We had put money down on this house, were excitedly watching it near completion.  But our excitement was dampened by the sudden free fall of the housing market.  Concern and worry set in as we realized our old house would very likely not sell before the completion of our new one.  Would we be able to work the financing without selling our original house?  Loving the area, we started looking at other houses that were for sale within the same neighborhood and others nearby.  Pulling out of our deal with Symphony Homes became more than just a bluff to get them to come down on their price...it became a very likely reality.  Houses that had been previously lived in were not only much cheaper but also already had landscaping completed.  There were a couple in particular that Bryan really quite liked on the other side of the neighborhood.  So a decision had to be made.  I started praying....praying hard, as to what to do.

One day, coincidentally enough, I was driving down the freeway (destination: Target) while chatting with my friend Chellie on my cell phone.  I was explaining my dilemma to her.  And as I talked through it, all of the sudden I KNEW.  I'm sure Chellie wondered when I stopped mid-sentence and went completely silent.  But just like that, I was struck with a feeling of rightness about this house.  Tears trickled down my cheeks as I explored the thoughts running through my head.  I knew it was an answer to my prayers.  We needed to be HERE.  Not somewhere else in the neighborhood but HERE...and I was sure as sure could be that it had something to do with the neighbors and church ward.

So today when that same feeling came back to me again about the rightness of being where we are supposed to be, it was a glorious confirmation of that original answer.  And it was made all the more sweet because today is our Happy Birthday House Day.  Four years ago today we took ownership of this house and moved in, making it a home sweet home.  And sweet it has been.