Kid friendly space!

Christmas angels, toys a tumbling, bobbles and bottles everywhere. We were creating memories. The room was filled to the brim with laughter, the Chestnut tea was steeping, the snowball cookies were baked and some of the presents were wrapped. We had anticipated to have the family more at our home. Plans changed. We learned that our home was "not baby proofed". How were our homes designed to safely grow the parents? As a designer I have never been asked to make an entire residence a "kid friendly place". We just had the presence of mind to keep the kids under toe in our space instead of re-designing it to be "their space". As a designer I have never been asked to make an entire residence a "kid friendly place". My clients had play areas and we had fun creating wonderful rooms for the children. In fact, this weekend a long time client's daughter was getting married. The youngest child at home was a crawling toddler. We had safe places set up in their respective rooms.
Times have changed, but love has not. We still were able to play and laugh and chase at our daughters "kid friendly space". We just had to travel to get there and missed out on the games late at night when children were safely tucked into their "safe space". It captivated my heart and took my breath away looking into the eyes of my innocent grandchildren. The two new babies Clay born August 17 and Maya Oct10 kept Rich and I occupied while the mommies and aunties would chase Max and Cole who ran faster and often got lower than Hoppa and Mimi could bend. How did we get so out of shape? Did we really keep up with our kids or did they always out run us ?
Discovering a "safe place" this Christmas came when I let go. Plans, like expectations come and go. Lasting dreams are made when "I was not always on my mind". I was thinking of an old Willie Nelson song and rejoined it. I soon realized the drama of revolving the room around "me" just creates a catastrophe.
Today sipping Chestnut tea, rehearsing the "should haves and could have beens" caused me to really see the real room. It was filled with precious smiles and hugs and new baby cries and soft caresses as we said "good by". The room took on a different twist when I got out of the way. I was not the center of attention. As I opened my moms prayer journal these welcome words came true. "Commit your way unto The Lord; trust also in Him;and He shall bring it to pass"ps37:5 I realized the beauty in trusting the DESIGNER. If you leave the decisions to Him he always give you a safe spot.
Hey,incidentally, we saw a great movie the night after Christmas,Parental Guidance...great for our generation!! We decided to give all the children their own space. The siblings bonded, the grandparents retired early but we all knew the "locks on the doors" could not prevent the love between us from blossoming. Thanks kids for a wonder filled time.