Hospitality

Hospitality has always been important to me.  I don't consider myself a party planner or a hostess or even an orchestrator of events, but when there are people in my home, I want them to feel welcome, comfortable and at ease.  I didn't realize until I spent an entire month living with my parents that in a large part, the values I hold surrounding hospitality come from them.  They have extended selfless, sacrificial hospitality toward others my entire life.  From college groups working with our youth group in the summer, to missionaries on furlough, to relatives in town, they have always willingly opened up their home.  Their house is clean, the food is delicious and the beds are always comfortable.   

Taking a walk with two of her favorite people, Bop-pa and Nama. 

When I called my parents up and said, "reviveWISCONSIN is on the books, can we stay with you?" They said yes, even without knowing when we were arriving or how long we were going to stay.  They bought Nicole a crib and created a cozy little room just for her.  They tracked down all of her favorite things at Garage sales and lovingly washed them so that she would have toys to play with while she was in town.  They rearranged furniture, moved anything potentially dangerous out of the way of a curious toddler and even switched bedrooms so that Shawn, Nicole and I could all be in the same floor together.  We will never know the depth of the work they put in to get ready for us, but we felt it in every thoughtful detail like empty dresser drawers and dedicated play spaces.  

Don't let her serious face fool you, fishing with Bop-pa was one of Nicole's favorite parts of the trip! 

We were in Wisconsin for the entire month on August and drove back to Texas just in time for nap time yesterday afternoon.   Although all 3 of us are happy to be home, we have nothing but good things to say about our time in Wisconsin.  Nicole had an absolute blast spending time with her grandparents, I loved how easy it was to get around town and we were thrilled to escape some of the hottest summer days here.   We went with the attitude that this was a unique season for our family and a once-in-a-lifetime gift.  We had a wonderful time! 

Baking a cake with Nama. 

I wanted to say thank you to my parents for opening up your home to us, especially when it ended up being such a long time.  We know you rearranged your schedules for us, changed plans and ultimately just made it work.  We are grateful for you and especially for our time together.  

Love, 

Erica