4,357 Square Feet

......is a ton of house. I think I've always dreamed of a home with 4,357 square feet...fantasized actually....and the thought of having the ability to spread out that much was absolutely awe inspiring to me. I looked at families who possessed so much as being blessed and possessing measures of sanity I do not currently possess.

These pics were all taken of our outing the other day when we escaped to the deer lease at the end of our street.

So...house. It's a ton of it. The opportunity has been presented to us to rent a house of this magnitude on 6 amazing acres. Ironically, it sits almost directly behind our current home. Cleared play area, forested areas for trapping, creek running through property. No other houses in view...tucked away...a little jewel nestled among city life and neighboring homes. North Carolina is a little odd like that. We are in the suburbs surrounded by homes and people yet at the end of our dead end road 50 uncleared acres sit that is actually a hunting lease...in the middle of the neighborhood. In hunting season it is entirely possible to hear gun shots on a regular basis. And in the midst of the neighborhoods and clumped together housing there sits a house buried in the woods on 6 private acres behind us. Little strange. The house has 4 massive bedrooms, 4 huge bathrooms, a master bedroom with 2 entirely separate bathrooms...each with their own shower and one that also sports a huge jetted tub. It has a massive walk-in closet in each of the 4 bedrooms, and another open loft area with built in desks. Entire house is wood floors except for bedrooms. Kitchen boasts double ovens and enough counter space to feed an army. Refrigerator/freezer is massive enough to contain enough food for a month and dishwasher is so massive it is entirely possible to clean up entire meal in one load after feeding the masses. Basement includes a 3 car garage space and a separate apartment for visiting family....complete with it's own kitchenette. Deck stretches around entire back of house and underneath are spaces for vehicles as big as our's to pull up underneath when it rains...as neither will fit into garage. Dining space would fit our table, living area has corner fireplace. And buried within the house are secret tunnels and hideouts for children that connect to bedroom closets. It's a dream, really.

And we have been presented the opportunity to rent it for only 200.00 more a month than our current rent. We met realtor at potential home...great debate over whether to take all children or leave them behind and let them eventually discover the fact that 10 of them exist. We finally decided that it was better to meet them all in person instead of suffering from shock seeing a number on a page...or owner being told about them all. We all filed in on a cold rainy day and by the end of house tour absolute awe of children pervaded and a deep respect of our family by realtor....and we were given the opportunity to move. But what should have been absolute awe on husband's and my part was surprisingly halted by trepidation. What I thought had always been my dream was suddenly very sobering and not very dreamy at all when faced with the reality of it. Husband and I both entertained great concern over the expense of heating and cooling a space that massive....running on nothing but electric. Water heater is huge....a weakness of mine as huge as the wood floors....but all is cooled and heated by electric. And the responsibility of keeping clean a place that large is more than a little bit daunting. And, in all reality...I love our freedom from large space bondage. 4 huge bathrooms to keep clean, 4 massive bedrooms to vacuum and maintain, huge kitchen and living areas...floors needing continual sweeping from leafy carnage and sticky red mud. Stairs....3 different flights of them...to keep swept and clean. And for the first time in life the thought of that much space was seriously scary. Reality sets in of how easy life is to maintain and keep under control right now. Children each have daily duties, rooms are kept up and picked up, beds made, laundry done, kitchen clean, floors maintained. Life is simple and pretty easy. Chores are accomplished in minimal time and kids are free to live, play, bike, roll around in mud for hours, and climb trees. Chores and house responsibilities do not keep anyone in bondage. In about 15-20 minutes we can have the entire house suitable and ready for a visitor....clean bathrooms included.

Upon walking through a house that size I suddenly realized that what has always been an amazing fantasy to me was not anything I had cracked it up to be. And I am truly content with our little 1500 sq ft of space. It fits us and meets our needs...nothing more...nothing less. In all reality I have realized that we probably could get away with even less than we have now. As I pondered this fact I also realized that we have consistently downsized as our family has grown...such a paradox to traditional American culture. People assume the more people the more that is required. When we had only 3 children and our family expanded to 6 we lived in a 2,000 sq ft home. From 6-10 children we lived happily in 1800 sq ft and now nearing 13 of us we occupy 1500 sq ft. All of our homes have been 3 bedrooms and we downsized from 3 bathrooms to 2 in this last move. ...and in the midst of it all have unexpectedly learned to live with only 1 working toilet the majority of the time. Suddenly I realized how much I love our little home....the minimal cost of utilities, the ease of keeping it all clean and organized, the necessity of maintaining organization that it requires...it forces one to stay minimal and maintain a system. In some odd way it's a strange source of accountability. I realize how much is really not needed in life. I love having them all with me, knowing where they are at all times, being together as a family instead of spread out over thousands of square feet. Firefighting husband made the comment once long ago that the smaller stations had a unity and a family mentality that the bigger stations do not possess. He surmised that it was mostly due to the fact that they are together almost every waking moment..eating, cooking, reading newspapers, watching movies...not many places to go within the small space...and when space is needed they retreat to their beds. So it is in a home I think....when space is so limited with many people everything is done together and there is a unity that exists..a happiness to reside in each other's company and companionship...that would not exist in larger spaces where each man is more to himself.

We have our one fenced acre and kids utilize every square inch...climbing trees, creating bike tracks and mounds to jump, digging holes, unearthing hidden treasures....such as vintage 2009 glass coke bottles. They gaze in awe and pick bouquets of now blooming flowers, and take turns burying themselves in 5 feet of fallen leaves. Babies are safe and can play with the bigger kids now and they all live inside, outside and everywhere in between. There is no wasted space.

I know at some point we will find a perfect little home here. Something like what we gave up there....perhaps even better. 20 secluded acres with a running stream, stocked tank, deer blinds, cleared pastures, wooded hills and a perfectly sized homey little house. Something like this little dream. Even the yellow walls remind me of home and the 7 acres feels like home. Or something like this, a diamond in the rough that we could conquer and bring to life. But, for now, we thanked them for the generous offer on such an amazing and massive home and how they loved our children.....and we walked away from 4,357 sq feet of house. Because of it all I realize how amazing it is to be where we are, have what we have been given, and know life like we do right now. Bigger is not always better. To whom much is given much is indeed required. I'd much rather spend my time loving on kids and enjoying them instead of barking out orders like a continual drill sergeant over the state our house is in...or having to learn to live with the mess to make it all tolerable. I am growing seriously content with what we have been given. I am completely happy knowing the money we are saving in not having outrageous utility bills. Spring is here, daffodils bloom, trees are beginning to come to life. I am content with what we have been given and the gifts lavished upon us....as unassuming as they seem. Gifts that come in surprising little packages....like a little house on a fenced acre.

The reasonable little maintainable home. Reminds me of home....but with water!

And a random pic in the midst of them all. Today's tiny splurge....just in case it's a girl. I so like having Once Upon A Child entirely accessible to us. Brand name clothes...for 2.50!