A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place

Surprise: I'm one of those people.

The hardest part of being displaced for nearly two years wasn't daily battles with the water pump, manually opening the sliding portón to pull into my parking spot, or being too cramped to host more than a handful of people. It was a nagging sense of nothing being in its place. Knowing I owned something but not being able to find it in my spare bedroom storage rooms. Spotting something but not being able to get to it without a monumental excavation. Adding a new item to the top of the pile because like items fell into one of the above categories. 

But as soon as I got back from Minnesota, one day shy of 23 months after I moved out of the house I loved, I moved back with the help of a faithful crew of seminarians and friends (some have now schlepped my belongings around 3x). And everything, including me, has a place. 

Or, almost. There's next to nothing on my walls, and there's a note on my phone called "House Projects" that I've checked nothing off of since the first summer team showed up early last Sunday morning. If I wait until the house is "done," though, you'll never see it, so here's the just-moved-in status quo tour you've been waiting for. 

Entryway as seen from the front porch. 

Living room. I was inspired to paint my wall this color, the same as one of the stripes in the rug, while on a Zoom call in 2021 but never did it before I moved out.

Dining room and bonus room (currently: wall hanging staging area + Fritsche luggage storage). 

Kitchen. A special treat was unboxing the KitchenAid mixer I bought used from an expat Facebook group about a year ago. First recipe: these, for the aforementioned team. 

Servicio (servants' quarters). The shelving unit I bought from the Fritsches' garage sale is exactly what I had in mind for the space. 

Upstairs landing. Somehow, in three moves, I managed to lose the ironing board that used to go here...

Master bedroom. 

Master bathroom. 

Guest bathroom. 

Guest bedroom (I need to get the bed back from the missionaries who've been borrowing it since...last year's Symposium?!). 

Office (slash 2nd guest bedroom). The other thing I cannot seem to locate are the patas (feet) for this bed. There are screws sticking out from the bottom of the box spring but seemingly nothing to protect them.  

It's been a massive undertaking, but slowly bringing order to chaos has been oh so therapeutic. It might sound crazy, but stressful or frustrating situations seem less so knowing I get to come home to my haven. I already feel more hospitable, generous, and creative. And I challenge you: name any random object and I'll tell you where it goes. What a beautiful feeling. 

Until next time, blessings!

P.S. I have WiFi now. Network name: HamacaHouse :)