Life together one year in

Co-housing has been like so many things in my life - exactly what I hoped for and not exactly as I expected. When we planned for Ruth and Chris and Liam to move in and started the process last year, I really didn't think Bob would get an Austin teaching job for this year, and he has. I sure didn't expect K.K. to be living with us, or that we would be working on a little house in the back yard. I also did not have any sense of how verbal and delightful, and fully strongly PRESENT Liam would be in the family. He is so conversant, such an English speaker so early, with preferences and needs and a sense of humor of his own. Last night family dinner was delicious (thank you Chris, and all the more special for being prepared on a long work day when we were all tired), and in the midst of dinner preparation Liam asked for music and Ruth put on They Might be Giants playing songs about science that Bob might use with his sixth graders. K.K., Ruth, Liam and I all got to dancing and Liam was still boogying in his seat as he started to feed himself chicken and black beans. Moments like that fit the feeling of what I hoped from co-housing, but aren't anything I could have exactly expected.

It's all done (well on the inside anyway)

KK's house has windows and a cut out for the A.C. It does NOT, however, have a doorknob, drywall, wiring or even a real floor. (All to come in good time)

I did plug in the AC just to see what would happen and was pleasantly surprised to find that it DID cool the space off despite the HUGEly high ceiling and the fact that today was literally 105 degrees outside!

Progress.

KK's here!

KK's house is in progress and we've talked her into starting her own blog to share it with you all. Check it out here (and comment frequently to encourage her!)

Hello House!

They are all set to begin construction on KK's house tomorrow. Whoo hoo! Soon there will be more than just a door on the back porch and windows in the garage. Soon there will be walls and a roof (and skylights even!)

Happy anniversary co-housing (and welcome additional co-houser!)

When Grandma asked, at dinner, what a happy surprise had been for each of us as a result of the co-housing Liam answered, without hesitation, "Gee Gee" (KK) and I think we all feel the same way. Thanks, Kiddo, for sweeping the deck and loading the dishwasher because it needs to be done. Thank you for walking Duffy and giving great hugs. Thanks for being a good sport about falling off your bike and starting a new school and not having a room of your own yet. Thank you for watching Liam when I need to take a shower and for letting him chase you on the plasma car over and over.

You are a great neice and an awesome cousin. We are all lucky to have you. I love you bunches and bunches (and you are STILL my cuppycake).

One year of Co-housing

It's been about a year since the Friday night Ruth called me at work and proposed co-housing. It's been a great year, so many shared meals, conversations, the treat
watching Liam grow day by day, word by word, the even deeper treat of his kisses and welcoming hugs and knowing he knows me as a real, daily part of his life. It's been a hard year with Bob having a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism in January and everyone facing career and financial challenges. The group of us has taken a house that was prtty disorganized and cluttered with lots of run down furniture and redundant belongings and turned it into a much more beautiful and orderly home (with a beautiful deck out front, even). Ruth's sense of the aesthetic and hard work, Chris' constant and very effectve eggort and nurturing (including diligent shopping and amazing cooking), and Bob's steadiness and planning abilities have stood us in good stead. Liam, flowering before our eyes, and now K.K. moving in, already in bloom, add so much to family life. I do like the fact of really living in a family again. The transition of Bob back home full time to teach at Andrews has been easier than I expected. We're still a bit overflowing with stuff, but Bob is working harder at minimization than I ever thought he would, and the effect is obvious.I feel a little overwhelmed in my life these days, but I believe the joy of the co-housing counteracts this overwhelm. Bob chose a cookie cake tonight at HEB to celebrate our year together. I wonder what great changes we will experioence in our next year together.

KK's House (part one)

Notice what's missing from the photos below? (That's right--the house! Err, barn)

The order is placed, the check is cashed. The crew will be out soon. In a matter of a few days the view from our rear windows will change dramatically. Picture, instead of orange marking tape, an 8 foot high (pale yellow) barn-turned-house with huge windows, a fun loft, a door, a porch light and even her very own mailbox.

Soon we'll have the outside of the building built for us. And then we begin the trenching and wiring and drywalling. Eventually KK's room (complete with GREEN walls and a large tree frog mural) will sit right here:

Changes

Ruth is drawing the final plan for K.K.'s little house, with loft. K.K.'s belongings are piled in the garage waiting. K.K. herself will be joining the family soon, registering for Lamar middle school next week. Bob and I have started filling closets in his new classroom with supplies - exciting. Liam is more darling than ever, executing spinning jumps tonights.