mother Ilean: Places of Abode--the homestead

Today, being Mothers day has me reflecting. Yesterday, thanks to kids and grandkids, we were able to get the garden put in, compost spread, and some mowing and trimming done. Mostly it was just wonderful to have the kids all come together to help and spend time with them while we worked at yet another work project. The yard and our home look beautiful this time of year and the weather has especially been spring like. Winter seems a long time ago. So as I was walking around the homestead thinking of these wonderful places we call home, I started thinking of all the past homes. They were equally as wonderful at the time. Our first home was house #37 in the Anaconda community outside Grants, New Mexico. It was a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, company housing, flat roofed home. It was separated from the other homes by lots of open space between each one. It had not been lived in for years. We moved in as newly weds and quickly started making it a home. Planted grass by seeding, made curtains, planted a garden, flowers, etc. I was excited to have my own place. Doug's work was just a short walk away and he came home for lunch. Life was pretty wonderful, living out in the country more or less. I got pregnant with Casey right off, so our family was on its way. The malapai hill outside our front room window provided a playground for Casey where he could explore when he was old enough to go by himself. Holly joined the family in a couple of years. When I got pregnant with #3, Angie, company housing policy allowed you to move up to a 3 bedroom home. So we moved across the field to a vacant home. I went to work creating new drapes , and restoring the grass that was almost dead, put in a sandbox, and a new fence. Since it was right on the main road into and out of the community, it was like living in a fish bowl. A solid fence would give us some privacy. The company would allow you to fix up the place and they would maintain the basic structure of the home, but would not provide for privacy fencing. Doug and I have always been willing to work, and somehow Doug saw these old wooden core boxes and figured we could break them apart, salvage the wood and nails and then build our fence with them. We did. Doug spent lots of hours with a hammer and crow bar taking those boxes apart. Then the 2 of us went to taking the old fence down and building a new one with all the wood and nails. No money expended--We even got the company to give us the fence paint to paint it white. We lived here in this home until we left New Mexico in 1976--Aug 1970---Dec 1974 in the first home and 1974-1976 in the 2nd home. New Mexico was a great place to start our family and make our first homes--more or less in the country and where we would prefer to live.
When we moved to Sandy and had our first "real" home--one that we owned. We again jumped in to fixing it up to our liking--painting, yard work, finish the basement, murals on walls, etc. Kay got to join us just before we left that home, moving to Denver. Casey started school here--letting us know how much he disliked it as it cut so much into his exploring and enjoying his world. When we got to Denver, we lived for a couple of months in a rental unit while we waited for our home in Castle Rock to be completed. Lucky for us, the new home, was up almost against a mountain that allowed Casey to go exploring again. As this was a new home, we again put in a yard, planted flowers, trees, put in drapes, finished basement, etc. Castle Rock was home from Sept 1976-1984 and was where Beth and Sean joined us. With each move we got more proficient at home ownership. Moving to Texas, leaving the west, was hard for me. We adjusted gradually, the kids did it easier. That home, probably because I disliked it so much, got me to really to do some drastic changes as we did a complete kitchen remodel, painted, re-carpeted, and tried to tame the outside jungle. The 7 acres were nice to spread out on and to have more country experiences. Just about the time we were getting used to Texas, we had to move. Utah became our next home. Once again, what you see today, is not the way it was when we moved here, and as all our children know--the work required to turn it into the property it is today--dirt moved, decks built, manure spread, sprinkler systems, trees and plants planted--lots of work. But yet I know as dear is these various homes have been, including my childhood home in Las Vegas--when the individuals who lived there aren't there--its like an empty shell. Having a beautiful yard, a neat home were things I valued, but it was who was in those homes that made it dear--that was the spirit of the home really--the rest was just trappings, fluff. My husband, my children, and now my son-in-laws and daughter in law and grandchildren are the ones that make my home a home. Thinking back on our home history has proved that over and over again. I always want to be with my family, wherever they are. So wonderful to live so close to them all. It has been a great blessing.