Back in early January my husband came across a Gumtree listing for a very neglected and ramshackle cubby house. He had a vision for what it could become and though to my eyes it looked like a huge task and probably not worth the effort, he was sure he could create something beautiful for our granddaughters.
The past two weeks have been our winter school holiday break in Australia and even though we'd both come down with head colds and hubby had a cracked rib his vision for this cubby was about to be realised.
After working in the garden, repairing plumbing and doing various other home maintenance tasks during the day he would spend the evenings at the cubby. After cutting wood and repairing the structure of the old cubby he began the process of painting. I chose the green as an accent to the brown he'd painted the outside walls, and to be honest that's all I did - the rest was all his labour.
And of course, every good Poppy deserves a cuppa when he's finished a big job, right?
I sent this photo to Cully May and Rafaella and they were so excited to see the cubby finished and wanted to come have a cuppa with Poppy right away.
But first Nana needed to do a bit of shopping for furniture and homely items!
Of course that was a lot of fun for me, but as the kitchen set up and the table and chairs were all in flat packs my sweet husband had to spend yet another evening putting them all together, bless him.
Next morning with everything in place (I have yet to get fabric for the curtains but that will happen next week as Cully May insisted this was most important) we waited for the girls to arrive...
Let me tell you that Blossom was just as excited as Cully May and Rafaella (brought tears of joy to my eyes) and we both thought it best to share a video with you because photos cannot express accurately the sheer delight of young children the way 'being there' can...
Enjoy!
The rest of the morning was spent playing house, having cups of tea and every so often following Poppy around the garden or checking up on what he was doing in the shed.
They collected chook eggs, ate tomatoes straight from the vine, cuddled next to me on the outdoor couch for a story, ate lots of fresh scones and wafer biscuits, had a second cup of tea and generally wore themselves out.
After Blossom and the little ones left for home (and being promised they can come back and play next week) Nana and Poppy had a nap, our hearts happy and content.
I sat outside by the cubby this morning with my coffee and Bible, pondering the joy my granddaughters had so freely expressed the day before, and considered how I need to express more delight before my heavenly Father in the same way.
"And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" Matthew 18:2-4
Mr E is back to work on Monday and life will again slip into the habits of a new school term. At home I'll allow the gentle routines and rhythms of homemaking, design and family to flow again until our next term break in October.
Next week I'll do a catch up post with what else has been happening lately and a sew along project you might want to join me in.
God bless you dear friend,
loving hugs
