Found!

We’ve spent hours reading through the rental sections on craigslist and in our local newspaper.

We’ve driven down back roads and side roads searching for those little red “for rent” signs.

We’ve followed leads and suggestions and compared rental rates and considered mountain homes that were an hour’s drive because the rent was reasonable.

Since we began looking for our Next Home we have been praying with the kids about where we would live and encouraging them to pray for that special house out there for our family.

Each kid has expressed certain desires for specific features. Those desires have ranged from the practical to the absurd. (You know, wish lists that have included a swimming pool and kittens.)

All along, however, amid the prayers uttered by kids for giant trees and hot tubs, Hawkeye and I have maintained one rather precise request.

A front porch with a view of a mountain.

Berg says he wants the front porch so that he can sit out there in the mornings and drink his coffee.

(No. I am not making that up. Yes. He is six.)

I want the mountain view because every aspect of reality seems more manageable when your eyes can rest on a piece of earth stronger and larger and more permanent than your very life itself.

We have a particular price range in which we are trying to maintain. And, let me tell you, there just isn’t a lot of variety within that price limit for a family as large as ours.

And yes, we have been spoiled by having a lovely yard and a camp as our playground.

So our expectations have been low.

Or, at least, we have tried to keep them low.

Well, more accurately, Kevin has tried to keep my hopes low by steady reminders.

It has worked like this. I say, “Kevin. Look at this house. Isn’t it great?”  And he says, “Sure. That’s beautiful. Is it in our price range?”  And then I say, “Well. You know. Not exactly.”  Then he responds, “Okay. Then why are you looking at
that one?”

Anyway.

I was becoming obsessed.  Checking craigslist about thirteen times a day or something.

I had to stop.

I took a break.

One whole week without purposely pursuing anything.  No craigslist.  No driving off the beaten path in search of little signs.

It was kind of a hard week for me.

And then I received an e-mail.  From an acquaintance in our homeschool association.  Who knew we were looking for a home.  And she connected us with another family.  Fellow homeschoolers.  Who just happened to have a home for rent.

And,

here we are,

another week later,

long story made shorter,

we have a place to live!

It meets all of our criteria.

It is convenient.  It is rural.  It fits our family.  It fits our budget.

And . . . it has a front porch . . .

and from that front porch,

not only can you see one mountain . . .

You can see two!

One mountain for Hawkeye and one mountain for me.