Enjoying the process of restoring order to a home
In what might be considered a minor miracle, my living room has been reclaimed.
Since the birth of my son, Jack, in October 2018, my small family of three has been fortunate enough to become the beneficiary of a previously unimaginable amount of love and support from friends, family, co-workers and neighbors alike.
That love comes in many forms.
We have had been inundated by wonderful visits, phone calls, emails and greeting cards.
Immediately after my wife, Jill, gave birth, our little Scott Township home was flooded with food that gave us much needed sustenance during a trying time – while failing to do wonders for my waistline.
We’ve also gone on outings with friends and family and created memories that will last a lifetime.
The love we’ve shared also comes in the form of things, which is where my living room comes in.
It’s easier to envision the number of responsibilities that come along with being a new parent, but for me, the amount of stuff my 16-month-old boy has accrued already is startling.
The generosity of the aforementioned people in our lives has manifested itself in the form of baby clothes and toys that, until recently, seemed to have taken over every corner of our home.
Don’t get me wrong, I am in awe of the generosity of those who have given us gifts and donated toys and clothing to our cause.
I would imagine most who have run across my path since Jack’s birth have been nauseated by the amount of pictures I show them and my willingness to share stories surrounding the existence of my young son.
That’s largely because he has looked so cute in the clothes he has been given, and we have had so much fun with the toys that are now his own.
Recently, primarily my wife began the process of restoring order to our living space.
My contribution to that end has been arranging and rearranging our garage with the bins of things she has filled.
That process has seemingly repeated itself for months until I recently said to Jill, “wow, we have our living room back.”
And that provided a cherished moment of reflection.
While the slide Jack received for Christmas is now in its rightful place in our backyard instead of our living room, the process of moving it provided us with many laughs about his exploits traversing its summit before sliding down to our thunderous applause.
As we put other clothing and riding toys in their rightful places, we were able to revel in the memories and stories we have gained from the many wonderful people who make our lives special daily.
Now, that’s a gift.
Much of the content in this “Home and Garden” themed issue of South Hills Living would have been useful to my wife and me as of late.
None of it more so than Harry Funk’s story on conquering clutter. The story focuses on strategies for families of all stages of life to create order and provide themselves with a sense of peace in their homes.
Enjoy the story, and get to work.
The edition also includes a story detailing the efforts of many South Hills residents to celebrate the Chinese new year. The dedication to their culture and family traditions is genuinely thought-provoking and awe-inspiring.
For the men out there who have contemplated getting a straight razor shave, this magazine is the one for you. In this installment of Harry’s Adventures, Funk sits down in a barber chair and undergoes the relaxing experience.
Thank you for reading and, as always, please feel free to send any feedback on the magazine our way.