Staff Post by Lori Potter

My Dream Home<br /><br />I grew up in a small 70's ranch. I'm sure you've all seen them. A basic rectangle with a center front door and a picture window on one side and several bedroom windows on the other side. My sister and I shared a room and we all shared a single bathroom. I remember many fights and screaming matches that always ended in tears. I also remember sitting up way past bedtime sharing dreams and secrets with my sister. She was my playmate, conspirator, fellow dreamer, and best friend. I remember dreaming of living in one of those large houses where every child has their own room. Especially their own bathroom.<br /><br />I went on to college and internships. I started working for <a href="http://www.visbeen.biz/">Visbeen Associates, Inc.</a> in 2000 One of the benefits and downfalls of my job is that you are constantly "building your dream home" in your mind. At that time I was engaged and dreaming up the house I would like to raise our future children in. I dreamed of a large home with a bedroom for each child, at least three bathrooms, plenty of room (out of sight) for their toys, an office for myself where I could work from home while they quietly played. Similar to these plans -<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDSmS4-ZZPqd7z-YrToNCUWXwTX5jj6Zuhc-KhQHYkPUMbIsiBWkwDKsG-Jsxv8aI1Vr4NKhQPVRT443cJ0CJ4cfSyl825JvfhPEjQyfEoLE0sgzXq4WA8Ip637MxXvCisfrvXN9fSIno/s1600/1PV.1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673386587740583890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDSmS4-ZZPqd7z-YrToNCUWXwTX5jj6Zuhc-KhQHYkPUMbIsiBWkwDKsG-Jsxv8aI1Vr4NKhQPVRT443cJ0CJ4cfSyl825JvfhPEjQyfEoLE0sgzXq4WA8Ip637MxXvCisfrvXN9fSIno/s320/1PV.1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jyKre1_EZfwuGKch6L4-1KjgL696T0OhDGSECZEnkmKBVqLp4RN4wuT8w29zD0dd_OuTxlT1DgSq2PWxVEkm0pAHzZxtucBp7IQxWFsku7BcAvoq-YPwW-u4nxY1mNuHYpVZYvd4-fSi/s1600/2PV.1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673386578963169698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jyKre1_EZfwuGKch6L4-1KjgL696T0OhDGSECZEnkmKBVqLp4RN4wuT8w29zD0dd_OuTxlT1DgSq2PWxVEkm0pAHzZxtucBp7IQxWFsku7BcAvoq-YPwW-u4nxY1mNuHYpVZYvd4-fSi/s320/2PV.1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9caub5w1svM_zx0r0tfSwEBaHF0ag4oHeKxgVw8rUZ5m_ykKWmzcsyoKKXqceIfHeZ6TfYuSD7GdiL91p86pEM_CPky2gc0izYX9asKWRkKu8GZc2BGRUs2cw9VOej42fsVG7OEG-Ufc/s1600/3PV.1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673386572115688722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9caub5w1svM_zx0r0tfSwEBaHF0ag4oHeKxgVw8rUZ5m_ykKWmzcsyoKKXqceIfHeZ6TfYuSD7GdiL91p86pEM_CPky2gc0izYX9asKWRkKu8GZc2BGRUs2cw9VOej42fsVG7OEG-Ufc/s320/3PV.1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" /></a><br />During the last eleven years, I have gotten married, had several children, and lost several loved ones. My values have changed dramatically. I want to be a presence in my children's lives not just present. I want to hear them playing, laughing, telling secrets, and sometimes fighting. I want to trip over the toys at three am when I am walking them back to bed. I want them to learn to be courteous, forgiving, loving, and God fearing. I want to know without a doubt that whatever life throws at them, their family and faith will always be there. They don't need their own bedroom or bathroom. They need a roof over their head and a pillow underneath it. More square footage doesn't make a better house. It is the quality of that square footage that makes a home. Now my dream home looks more like this -<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7dvmZyUJABOXW3V6Etft2FWGEcXNSIibuUcJaJoRSOyEPDuFj2ivxSGyDG1lscBogMkNAZWZfW5tRMBJGy-zeMeGRNk62WmlEQW0h02IArK8mY9eSF6yC27gorz_qUk8r_2T2mKYb1XP/s1600/4PV.1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673386563720390226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7dvmZyUJABOXW3V6Etft2FWGEcXNSIibuUcJaJoRSOyEPDuFj2ivxSGyDG1lscBogMkNAZWZfW5tRMBJGy-zeMeGRNk62WmlEQW0h02IArK8mY9eSF6yC27gorz_qUk8r_2T2mKYb1XP/s320/4PV.1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fDTy1xjEM6uT6sn9zmfnHG8pZrvyybJfXzDji-wGYclc_cLa0En3dnUS2O6CuQrDtxPAmrNm9BitlYRFUfAV1VGTYSLy1m2lj5nOoiXb-KeZFC532fVTraCzSN0G-Co67urqeAWEgCp-/s1600/5PV.1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673386561863426114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fDTy1xjEM6uT6sn9zmfnHG8pZrvyybJfXzDji-wGYclc_cLa0En3dnUS2O6CuQrDtxPAmrNm9BitlYRFUfAV1VGTYSLy1m2lj5nOoiXb-KeZFC532fVTraCzSN0G-Co67urqeAWEgCp-/s320/5PV.1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" /></a><br />I wonder what my dream home will look like in another 10 years.

Staff Post by Lori Potter

My Dream Home I grew up in a small 70's ranch. I'm sure you've all seen them. A basic rectangle with a center front door and a p...

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