Dogs and Cats and Kids, Oh My!

We have lived on our house exactly nine years now.  We're in the country with a bit of acreage and awesome vista views, but we're not isolated.  It's a great place for the grandkids----seven of them----to play.  However, our house really isn't "kid proof".  It wasn't built or decorated with kids in mind.  So far this has worked just fine since the kids are in and out.

All that has to change now.    While we're living in AK, four of our grandkids and their parents will live in our central PA house for three months.  Their dad, our son, will be on a Sabbatical.  Their three cousins who live nearby are thrilled.  The two families aren't able to be together much since they live almost 500 miles apart.  I'm thrilled for them.

Then after the four-grandkid-family moves out, my daughter and her husband are moving in for awhile.  They have no children, but they do have three cats.  Our house has always been dog friendly.  We have an adorable boxer/lab mix, Tuhlula, who really owns the place!  Cats?! That's another story.

So you see my predicament.  Going to AK to live for awhile hasn't been just a matter of packing some suitcases and boxes and taking off.  We have almost needed to move out of our house, emptying closets, drawers, shelves, rolling up area rugs of value.  All decorative items are stashed.  Although the kids probably couldn't even reach a lot of things I put away, the cats could!  Sooo I have spent the last two months child-proofing AND cat-proofing.  The house looks empty and bare now.

It's been a lot of work, but a labor of love.  I appreciate that our house won't be empty the whole time we're away.  I appreciate the fact that I have four children who are excited for us and willing to take care of things here while we're there.  As a mom I really appreciate that my children want to spend time together and go out of their way to enable the next generation to get to know each other better.

The one thing that's hard, though, is that I won't be able to enjoy all the cousins and their parents here together for an extended time.  I dare not complain!