The Reichanadter Journey

We've been enjoying having a little baby around the house. Hudson gets lots of lovin' from his big brother and sister. I think he gets at least 50 kisses each day!

One of my favorite hobbies is to find something that no one wants and is probably heading for a landfill, rescue it, apply a few coats of paint, and then use it in our home. This rocking chair was one of those items. We bought it at a garage sale for $3. I needed a chair for Hudson's nursery and this seemed to have "good bones."

The Hoosier cabinet was another fun find. We wanted a bit more storage in our kitchen, and this seemed to be just right for that. I painted it to match our cabinets. I think one of the reasons I like to renew things is that it makes me think of Our Maker, who is also in the "renewing business." I love it that He takes us while we're rusty, tattered, and worn out, and makes us new, fresh, and clean again. That is Good News!

“I think God might be trying to teach me patience,” I said to Jeff yesterday.

“Well, I hope you learn it FAST,” he joked.

In the last year, we have waited on God for a place to live and jobs. Then we waited for our things to arrive after they were hijacked in Vegas on a moving truck for a month. Most recently, we waited two extra weeks for Hudson to be born. And now, we wait for water in our kitchen.

Today is Day 9 of having no kitchen sink and no water on our main level. We had countertops put in last week, but the sink that they brought did not fit the hole that was cut, so now we are waiting for the right one. We’ve been washing dishes in our bathtub upstairs or hosing them off in the backyard. (I told Jeff that I really hope the neighbors are not watching us!)

This really changes what we decide to eat, make for meals, etc. If anything needs to be rinsed, I usually think twice before choosing to eat that and then settle for a granola bar or string cheese. Yesterday I caved and ate strawberries and grapes without washing them... :)

The other day, I was getting so frustrated with our lack of water. I grumbled to Jeff, “This kitchen is driving me CRAZY!”

God gently reminded me in our water situation that this is how a lot of people live every day. People we knew in India had to walk to get their water, and usually that water wasn’t even very clean at all.

So this morning after I gave Baby a bath in the tub, I washed our dishes. And I thanked God for a child, and for clean water.

And for each of us today, may we be patient as we wait on God, and learn the lessons He wants to teach us. May these "pauses' in our lives renew, strengthen, humble us, and cause us to focus more clearly on Him.

Hydrangeas are one of my favorite flowers of the summer. I love how long they last when I bring them in and put them in a vase too. It's so fun to have fresh flowers in the kitchen.