Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Hotel D

What may or may not have been previously recorded is that when I came back from Hawaii in August, I came home three weeks earlier than I had planned to. And Dave stayed.
I'm going to try to make this long story short.
The problem was that Dave's plans for work extended into September, but school in Maryland started in August. And we were going to have a Kindergartner this year! We had decided when we left for Hawaii in March that Evie could just start school a little late when we got back, but over the course of the summer, changed our minds.
We felt that it was really important for Evie to be at her school orientation, and be there for the first few days when the teachers/staff may be giving everyone a few more smiles and a little more patience and a little more attention while they got everything figured out.
What exacerbated the problem was that we didn't have a "home" to come home to. Our stuff was in storage in a friend's basement, and we were homeless. I couldn't even register Evelynn for school. I had no address. I was a lost soul with two and a half kids, three suitcases, three carry-ons, and an old accord with rusty brakes and a wasp nest under the hood.
But, while we had no place to call our own, I was reminded why we love to call this place home. So many people who we've met and gotten to know over the last five years, so generous, so giving, so amazing. And they don't even realize it. It's like family. You love and you serve, and you don't think twice about it, because it's just part of who you are. But to me, it means everything. Thanks.
Some of these friends run a little side operation I like to call Hotel D, and they opened up their house to my kids and I indefinitely. Did you hear that, er read that rather? Indefinitely. See what I mean about generous?
We had no idea if we wanted to rent or buy a home, or how long it would take us to find something.
And I leached off of them for over two weeks! And let Amy cook for me and my family (I was still having some "morning sickness", so I did cook a couple of times, but usually in the form of pizza or Subway sandwiches). And let Amy clean for me. And I took over their space. And I borrowed their car. And I kept them up late at night. And woke them up early.
And sometimes the kids got the camera.
And took some silly pictures.
And I learned to cook. Or more specifically learned how to prepare homemade meals on a regular basis. I really really can't explain what this means, because I've always known how to follow a recipe, and I've always considered myself a fairly organized person, and I have no idea what my family has been eating for the last seven years, but I just didn't cook. Is that hard to understand, because I feel like it's hard to explain. Anyway, watching Amy 24/7 for two weeks really taught me a lot about it! And now I cook. And I can't get over it.
And my family can thank Hotel D.
Many many times over.
Indefinitely, in fact.

2 comments:

Hizzeather said...

This is good karma because you allowed your place to be a hotel all summer! :D

adventure knitter said...

I've been waiting for you to do a post all about how awesome I am! just kidding! We were glad to add you to the many before you who have stayed with us. one of these days we're going to "cash in" with all our friends! glad to hear your family now eats food.