House-guests

This summer and fall have been filled with a constant flow of overnight house-guests.  Second week of July, my good friend from Texas, we'll call her "Texas Ninja".  She brought a friend with her the first few days and then her other friend drove in from Iowa for the weekend.  For that visit, Texas Ninja slept on the sofa, and I borrowed a friend's air mattress for the spare bedroom for the Texas Ninja's friends.

Then came "California Drummer" for a weekend in August.  Meanwhile, I was also in the midst of the homestudy process for becoming licensed as a foster parent/home.  So when my father came for a two-week long visit at the beginning of September, I rushed out to get a twin bed the night before he arrived (I hadn't had any bed for my spare room and they stated it would be required prior to my last visit and licensure).

"Roomie" stayed with me for the second week in October, followed by "Redmond Homemaker" with her dog from the 20th to the 25th, and "Omaha Marrieds" for the weekend following.  Needless to say, I am happy to finally have the place to myself with no prospective visitors on the horizon as I settle into hibernation mode for the imminent long Chicago winter.

A year ago I never thought I could live by myself.  Ever since moving away from home after high school to go to college I have always had roommates.  The thought of living by myself scared me.  I thought I would isolate myself, become depressed.  The thing that motivated me the most to get a place of my own was the hope of filling that empty space with that of a foster child.  But it's been nine months now of having my own place and I am still on my own.  And I absolutely love it!

While my father was here for two weeks and I found myself emotionally drained and barely able to function, I wondered, "How will I ever do this when a child is staying with me?"  In these short  nine months I've grown so used to being on my own and having my own space that I'm not sure how I will ever adjust to the change.

It seems that the spring was used as my nesting period, my getting used to living on my own and creating a comforting home environment.  Summer and fall and the revolving door of house-guests were prep for sharing my space with a child.  It really hasn't been all that bad.  In fact, part of the greatness of having my own place has been the flexibility to have people stay over.

In my previous four years of living in Chicago, I have never had such a constant flow of visitors.  Never before has my father been able to have such a long visit due to overstaying his welcome in a roommate's home as well.  It feels good to have the home and stability to provide housing for my guests.  And now I have it to provide a foster child too!