What to do when the oldest leaves home?

What do you do with the empty room when your oldest has left home? Some people leave it as a shrine to the one who left. Not us, we made it into a playroom for his little sister!

This is what it looked like after we spent 2 days (yes, seriously) cleaning up and moving furniture to storage:

We emptied everything but the

bed while I slaved away painting

the ceiling and the walls.

The decision to paint the room some type of purple was easy. Unka Bunka wanted her bedroom purple and I chose a burnt yellow that matched her bedding.

One night, while talking before bed, she said "mommy I thought you were making my room purple." Well that got us thinking, which turned into action, and turned the drab empty room into this. Oh and look, we have a princess:



a DIVA

a future STAR (talk to the hand!)

Most of all it is a happy place we hope she will enjoy playing in! I know I'm enjoying getting our living room back with out a bunch of toys thrown everywhere!We still have some decorating but we are enjoying playing in her playroom!

So that is how we handle the oldest leaving home. We distracted ourselves with a project. The oldest visited in the guest room and played with his sister in the playroom this past weekend. Wasn't even upset about it.

I am blessed to have an understanding step-son, a wonderful husband, a charming little girl, and time now to do something special with her. Like...trying to waltz to the Sleeping Beauty music with her in her princess dress. 10 months ago I didn't know God's plan, I think this is it.