House #8

We have lived in 8 different houses during 8 years of marriage. That’s not counting the months we lived with family while on Home Assignment.

Sigh. It was okay before we had kids; then I was fine being a nomad. As soon as motherhood hit, I wanted to stay in one place. Permanently. And never move again. I wanted to put my pictures up on the wall and keep them there.

And I really thought that would be the case with our last house. Well, the last house before the temporary house. The landlord was great, she had no intention of moving back in (which happened to another of our past houses), and I liked everything about that house. I just didn’t anticipate the walls falling down and needing to be rebuilt.

So by now I have given up the notion that I am going to stay in any house for any kind of permanency. (By the way, it’s practically impossible for a foreigner to buy a house in Tanzania).

But you know what? After moping over the fact we had to leave the last house, and complaining to God because we had to leave the temporary house (the perfect one next to the school), and depressed because we had to find another house, yet again….well, after all that, He still gave me a house I don’t deserve. My favorite house, in fact, of all the houses I’ve lived in. It is not a 30 second walk from school like the last one, but it’s only a 10 minute walk (2 minute drive) from school. It’s got a park for a yard. (Really, it’s THAT gigantic.) And it even has a huge laundry room where I can leave my ironing board set up all the time. (Because we know what is really important in life, don’t we, ladies?)

Great location. Great price. Big enough to hold 40 kids on Friday nights. Yard big enough for a soccer field and a basketball court, if we wanted to put them in. Guest room. Two year lease. Not permanent, but not bad either. And we didn’t even have to look for it. It fell in our laps. More than I deserve, indeed. Especially considering all of my fretting.

So you want to see it? Here it is.

Dining Room

Laundry room/Pantry

Toy Room. This is a strange little room connecting the kitchen and the garage. We had the shelves put in and made it a Toy Room. It makes me very happy because for once I am able to keep all the kids’ stuff organized. As you can see, my children are not suffering!

Living Room

Closet in Kids’ Bedroom. All the bedrooms have these kind of closets.

Grace’s bed. The other side of the room has another bed waiting for Josiah when he gets big enough.

Guest room. Come stay with us!

Bathroom

Office nook in our bedroom

Our bedroom

Master bath

Forgot to take outside pictures, so that will be next time!