Family..

I'm home alone again, but only very briefly, recovered from my horrible virus, having a lovely bank holiday weekend. Hannah has just gone back to Portsmouth, Sarah is at Church (I have the morning off Godzone), Paul is still in Sweden, PJ in Southampton.

 

But I realised how fluid my family is at the moment, and I'm enjoying it. The other weekend there were 7 of us here (the LEGOLAND trip), and numbers staying seem to vary from 7 to 2 (we haven't had a 1 overnight yet). Various combinations of family and friends (new and old), for meals, for 'sleepovers', parties, chill outs, it doesn't matter really, they're all good.

 

When we moved here, nearly 18 years ago, one of our hopes and prayers was that this home would be open to extend God's welcome, and I think it has. Now is just a particularly obvious time. I love that Sarah or PJ may say, 'I told X that they could stay over, that is alright isn't it?' It doesn't matter if it's one night or many, a passing friend of a friend, or a nearly family special person. And of course it's ok. Paul's parents in particular, but my own as well, always made people welcome, and I loved that, I'm glad that we have a similar home.