Yesterday was one of those days that I had to be in multiple places, with different members of the family, sometimes at the same time. God provided in (to me) unexpected ways--including using a time of discipline to bless our family. A friend took Nate to physics and kept Benjy and our neighbor's granddaughter invited the younger girls to watch her gymnastics class, ride provided. That left Maggie, who had to stay home from her best friend's house after neglecting some chores and the reminders given.
After all the various meetings and errands were done, we all ended up back home around 7:30. Katie, after running down to her room, dashed back out and asked if I had seen what Maggie did to her bookshelf. I knew Maggie had spent some time organizing their room--something that energizes her. So, with Katie's hand pulling me down the hall, I peeked into their room, and saw this...
Maggie had gathered all of Katie's kitty "stuff" and created a vignette, something she's been reading about on The Nesting Place. And on top, she took the brightly colored Lego Friends sets and mixed them with a couple McDonald's toys that normally would have gotten pitched when she organized.
Where did this come from? You see, a few weeks ago, I had checked out Nester's new book, The Nesting Place, and Maggie discovered it in my reading pile. (Can I just tell you how many of my books leave my reading pile? Never to return? It makes me smile that no one else can seem to request interesting books.) After she had read the book cover to cover, she asked to use my Feedly app on the iPad to read her blog. She's gone back about a year in the posts. And I now have an in-house, in-training, interior decorator. And. I. Love.It!
As I thought back over the past year, it just fits. A few weeks ago, Ray and I returned from a date night to find that Maggie had organized her brothers' room while the others watched a movie! (And, yes, her brothers actually complained about missing items rather than thanking her at first.) And, another day I found she had done this with a shelf that needed some work...
After moving 18 times in 21 years, my mom gave up decorating sometime around move 12. The last time I remember her nick-nacks on display was around 4th grade. And painting or changing wallpaper....never on her radar. She just wasn't that type. So many of the houses we lived in were rentals or apartments. Somehow, I never missed it, and I always felt like it was home--because she was there. I inherited her "be content and don't change the paint" gene. When we moved into this house, it took me 2 years to finish painting the bathroom because I couldn't decide on a color. Since reading this book, Maggie has already decided for me on a couple things. Now to just make them a reality.
I'm thankful for this one standing on my shoulders. And I can't wait to see how this emerging talent takes shape over the next few years.
