The fountain is flowing! The melodies cascading from the fountain immerse us once again in its music. I didn't realize how very much I missed the soothing sound of Serenity's joy bubbling over. The water revitalizes and rejuvenates us. I guess that is the balance of Nature. Sometimes the water depletes us when her energy is destructive. Yet, the same element has the potential for renewal. It’s the yin and yang, quite literally the ebb and flow of nature.



Building the Dome of a Home has provided many opportunities to meet several interesting people and to participate in many media events.
But, never, ever, ever would I have imagined receiving our latest phone call.

It's a Thursday afternoon and my phone rings.
A producer from ABC identifies himself. My mind immediately jumps to the programs the Dome of a Home has been involved with on ABC affiliates. I, of course, assume that hurricane season is around the corner and Good Morning America would like to do a follow-up story. Well, we all know what happens when we ass-u-me.

The gentleman asks if I am familiar with the program Wife Swap. "What? What did you say?" I stutter. "Wife Swap? I thought that's what you said. You must have the wrong number. Wife Swap? Why would you be calling us?"



Evidently, this producer is a fan of dome homes and thought filming in the Dome of a Home would make a great episode of Wife Swap. I was honest with the producer and told him I had only watched about 10 minutes of one of the shows. Ten minutes was enough for me to be mortified and to ask out loud to an empty room, "Who would be on this show? Why would someone do this to themselves? Insanity!" The producer explained in detail the premise of the show: I spend two weeks with another family while the wife/mother of that family comes to live in my house. For the first week, it's business as usual in each of the households. (Each wife leaves a manual of instructions.) The second week, the "new" wife gets to run the house as she sees fit.

I laughed and told him that I was afraid the "new" wife wouldn't want to leave. I knew from the ten minutes I had seen on TV that they would pair me with…. Well, with someone whose ideas are diametrically opposed to my own. I'm open-minded, but two weeks with a man who lives in the Dark Ages is more than I can bear. Talk about stress upon stress. The money they offer for participating would not cover my therapy bills. So, a midst much laughter, I politely told him I didn't think so, but I would discuss it with my family.



The producer asked if I would answer a few questions. Sure, why not?
He asked what our daily routine was like and then he asked me two questions that would irrevocably alter my perception. What would I change about my children? Hmm…. Well, of course, I wish for them to be wiser, but essentially I would not change my children – even if I had the ability to do so. Then, he asked what I wanted to change about my husband. I laughingly told him that there was nothing I would change about my husband. I think he is a generous, compassionate, loving soul that I am privileged to know. I knew it was a sappy, hokey answer, but it was the truth.
In the midst of frustration, I have muttered under my breath about my kids and husband. But, when I took a moment and actually evaluated what my goals would be to change them, I realized with great joy in my heart that I truly love them for who and what they are. Now, when I am frustrated with my family, I remember the laughter and joy I felt when the ABC producer made me stop and realize how blessed I was.

We had our first 2006 clients in February. This family had originally booked the Dome of a Home for their daughter's wedding in September 2004. We were thrilled when they called to schedule their 25th wedding anniversary here. Lovely people, great clients and we hope very much to see them again.