Hospitality, Friendship, Encouragement

Thursday, November 10, 2011

The Blessing Of A Multigenerational Family

 One of the things we firmly believe is in the blessings that come from having a multi-generational vision. It was a deliberate decision on our part when my parents moved to Pennsylvania to include them in our lives. 

My husband works hard at work and at home.  One of the things he does at home is to provide firewood for us to burn in our wood stove during the late fall and winter.  He also decided a few years ago to make sure my parents had a full supply of firewood to burn as well.  Yesterday was delivery day.


 Here is the wood piled up in the back of my husband's truck.  I know he had plans to move the leftover wood from last year into the wood rack in the utility room at my parent's home, and then load this wood into the racks in the garage.  That way my parents don't have to go outside to get wood in the middle of the winter!


 He took a posse with him - Lindsay stayed to help me with garden work here and to help with lunch.  Emily and Rachel riding in the backseat of the truck - sharing the ipod!  Can you tell the windows are open?


 Kyle must have taken this photo...he wore that headband most of the day yesterday - he looked half ninja and half 80' workout dude!  Made me laugh!


 Part of the beautiful drive to my parents home...


 After they did the wood, they took the time to help out with a few other projects...


 The view from the roof of Grandpa in the backyard.  Their maple trees are so big - look at all the leaves!  Good thing he has a handy dandy gadget to collect all those and doesn't have to rake them by hand...


 The posse on the roof - here at the back of the house the roof is only about 6ft off the ground, in the front it would be two stories!  And from the back of the garage it is only 3 ft to the ground.  



 They cleaned out the gutters too, and Tim blew leaves down on my Mom's head...he loves to tease her!


 Rachel's art - all these photos are hers.  I really like this one...


 Emily must have taken this one - Rachel relaxing on the roof.  


The view of the Amish neighbors farm from the roof.  It's wedding season here in Lancaster County.  Our farrier's daughter is getting married today.  The Amish are good with multi-generational living living, too.  Caring for their parents and grandparents, all working together.  This is a blessing to everyone, young and old.  This however does not mean that there is never any problems or issues that could come up, after all we are all human.  But, differences are not the end of the world.

One day my parents will come to live with us. They will add on a 'Dawdi Haus'.  They will be a doorway away from us.  If Kay and Kamryn are still living with us then, that would make four generations under one roof. This used to be more common, and I think it may become common again in the future, especially with the economy being so difficult.  The kids say we will be like The Waltons.  My dad's Amish friends say we're Amish.  Either way, we are happy to work together and help my parents as needed.

13 comments:

  1. Stephanie has a pretty "barn" in their backyard which is really a large garden shed.

    I've told her she can put her dad and I out there as long as she has satellite TV so her dad can get his beloved Chicago sports in Patriots land. :)

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  2. It's a great blessing all the way around. What beautiful scenery! That photo that Rachel took is amazing. It could win contests!

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  3. They had a perfect day for it too. Warren and Jonathan collected leaves and Jonathan planted tulip bulbs for me. Gotta love it. I get a kick out of seeing Warren on his lawn tractor in one of the three yards.(Ours and the two Moms) It may seem like a lot but God provides beautiful days like yesterday to make it a pleasure. we love having the Moms so close. Tonight is our weekly dinner all together. Georgia is making chicken. Yum.

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  4. A lovely way to spend a fall day - so beautiful out where you live! Love the multi-generational thing, too! Not a realistic lifestyle choice in our family - but - ideal, nonetheless.

    Joy!
    Kathy

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  5. We are indeed blessed. I love teasing Tim as well. Rachel and Emma were so helpful to me. Love all of them for their help. We need to sell this place soon.

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  6. Looks like all of the workers are happy too!
    Your stack of wood makes me feel cozy. We burn wood too. There is no heat like wood heat. (Although there are times when I get TOO hot!)
    Now (speaking of cozy) it is time for my cup of coffee and Jeopardy. Life's simple pleasures...

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  7. My favorite place to vacation is in Lancaster County. We were able to go back two summers ago for our first vacation in six years; your pictures made me long for another visit.

    I love the idea of several generations sharing the same home, or adjacent ones. Our daughter and son-in-law live with us, which has been a blessing because my husband has cancer and can't do much anymore. Unfortunately, our daughter can't wait to move out. (But that's another story.)

    Thanks for sharing your pictures as well as the story.

    P.S. How are the winters down in Lancaster?

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  8. sweet post, every topic. :o)
    i *love* that your folks will come live with you. it used to be a thing of the past but you're right in sharing that with the economy as it is, this will happen more and more. needful. my mother lived with us for a few months. we worked through some differences and both really enjoyed the closeness. ours was a 3-generational home .. for a bit.

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  9. Oh! how I enjoyed this post. It brought back so many memories of when we lived with our grandparents, and what a wonderful time it was for my siblings and I.
    The photos of your family working together to help their grandparents says so much of the values being taught to them.
    I also agree, I think things are coming back to where they used to be, and that is a good thing.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Sue

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  10. You are so blessed to be so close to your family, I would love to have my parents live with us but alas they have chosen otherwise, preferring to move five hundred miles away and live in a nursing home instead. My Dad is very independent and would hate to be a burden on us, even though we would consider it our greatest joy. Things don't always work out as they should.
    blessings to you for this lovely post.
    Nell

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  11. You are so fortunate and blessed to be able to have your parents nearby... and to be so willing to share your lives. My parents are wonderful, adorable, loving folks, but they are very focused on their own interests and aren't really interested in that kind of life... kinda makes me sad. Ahh well, they were of the generation that came of age during the very beginning of the women's movement and so careers, travel and so on became a high priority with them. Watcha gonna do? Parents these days! ;-)

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  12. i love your post! thanks for sharing...God bless you...

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