Communal Living

This isn't for everyone. That being said, we definitely make it work. We live in a large home, about 3200 square feet. We have 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2 living rooms, kitchens, dining areas, 1 dining room, and a den. Our household is made up of 4 adults, 1 teenage boy and a 2 year old. It's nice that we have our own sections where we can close off and be our own separate families. Then, we can open up and be a big family.

I think Paige is doing well in this environment. She's got lots of attention for the adults, and a teenager who dotes on her. We have built in support if we need it. Oh, and built in babysitters. Ronnie and I can put Paige to bed and go out. Wii Wii is happy to listen out for Paige. She sleeps through the night, so not like it's a real hardship there. There are other advantages too, like when Paige needs to go to the doctor, but I have to work. If Wendy is off, she can take Paige in.

Of course there are downsides to everything. If one couple has a fight, everyone else knows about it. There's privacy, but only so much. We don't always agree, but we do come to a final agreement about things. We thought about moving out, but the time just wasn't right.

The house is definitely going to get more interesting soon. We have at least 3 more people moving in. Marc and Wendy's older 2 sons are returning. One is coming home from the Army. He'll be with us a bit, we're not sure how long. The other son is being restationed from Guam to close to home. His wife will be returning home first before she gives birth to their first child. We're not really sure when the son will be returning, but his wife will be here soon.

The house may get a bit crowded, but it will be fun. There's nothing like community suppers with a table piled high with food. Leftovers abound for days after one of these. Usually it involves a grill and the men both cooking and cleaning. Eventually we'll buy a home and the community living will come to an end. For now, we're definitely enjoying it.