How can someone who looks like this...
...tell me that she's all grown up and moving out of my house?
Not possible. But somehow it happened.
Way back in the spring Romney let us know that she had friends moving into a house together and she was going to be part of it. To be totally honest, Troy and I weren't too sure about it. Mostly because we didn't want Romney having to earn and spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars every month when she could live at home for free. But she was determined (which is exactly like her, by the way) and for several months she and her bestie Anna and the other two roommates planned and planned and planned. They had so much fun preparing, and they did a lot of shopping. Romney became an absolute master of finding deals on Facebook Marketplace.
Then late in July the girls began moving into the house. Romney's room is in the basement, which at first seemed a little dank and grim, but she did a fantastic job making her room into her home. Although the downside is that it's in the basement, the upside is that it's by far the biggest bedroom in the house. Romney was able to create a little bedroom side and a living room side with a couch (from FM) and a TV (from us). She collected all sorts of artwork and lamps and furniture and got it all set up. And it was really cute.
We had a really special family experience then. There is something we do in our church called dedicating a space. When we build new church buildings or temples, a blessing is said over the space to make it sacred. We often do it when we move into new homes as well. And Romney wanted her room to be dedicated. So Chase gave a special prayer to ask for a blessing on Romney's room. It was really lovely to kneel together in a family circle and ask that this new home for Romney would be a positive place, and safe, and happy. And welcoming. I'm so grateful for moments like those.
And you know, it's been a great place. Yes, Romney has to work hard to earn the money to live there. And she loves it. She loves her roommates, she loves taking care of herself, making food, grocery shopping, all of the things. We like to say that she's loving playing house. But really she's not playing. She's just getting started and she's doing a great job. I'm so proud of her.
Here are my three darlings, spending an evening without Troy and me, just playing games and enjoying time together. Fills up my heart.
Ok and what do you think happened pretty much the minute that Romney moved out? Of course the other two had to switch rooms. Troy and I had always said that if we had three kids in the house, the two girls would share the big room and Chase would get the small. But with only two kids in the house, the older kid would get to choose. And as much as Chase loved the brand new little bedroom we fixed up for him, he wanted to be in the big room to be with his lizard Omnom. The switch was arduous but also fun to get everything fresh and clean and give the kids their own spaces.
The best part of all is that Romney's house is five minutes away, right by Emma's high school. She can hang out there after school if I can't pick her up yet, and we get time with Romney all the time. It is even sweeter to me now when the five of us are together.
Life is good. Having kids grow up is a little stinky, but also miraculous and wonderful.
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