Vacation Away

Boise, Idaho - The Miracle!

 

Despite recently turning 50, sister, Kim doesn’t look one day older than she did four years ago at Jen’s graduation but my nephew, Adam sure does! No longer a boy, he has blossomed into a mature young man. He has presence, no doubt about it. I can see why he is becoming a famous actor. His almond shaped green eyes penetrate to your core with deep understanding. He has a stillness about him that at times you feel accompanied by an old and wise spirit . . . then, suddenly, he is a 13 year old boy again, breaking into the enthusiasm and passion of a an excited teenager.

 

I just couldn’t believe his focus; his ability to stay on one thing until he fully understood it, until it became part of him. He has two passions; acting and home building. Well three passions, really - - counting America. He has made up his mind that he is going to college in America. No old world England and teapots for him! He likes the NEW, the untrammeled, the undiscovered, and the wide open skies of the Rocky Mountain west. 

He has carefully studied the best and biggest home-builders in Idaho, where he plans to attend university. We started at a development in the hills, high above the city and he patiently measured out the size of the lots with his feet, imagining where he would put the living room, bedroom and kitchen, the best place for the perfect view, and together we climbed those hills, until we got to the very top. That boy and his mother sure have imagination!  

(Alas, dear reader, I left my camera in Idaho, so no more pictures after this point. You will have to use your imagination, too!) 

Ok, here comes the miracle. Later in the afternoon, we stopped in a new neighborhood and looked through a model built by, Jim Hunter, owner of Boise Hunter Homes, the biggest custom home builder in Boise. Please understand that Adam had carefully studied all of these models on the internet half way across the world in England. He knew every model, every measurement, every material used in cabinets and closets; in short, every floor plan this man has built.  

We got to talking to the young man showing the model and it turns out that his name was Travis Hunter, son of the famous Jim! I opened it up, introducing everyone and Adam talked excitedly about all of the different models and measurements. After Travis found out that Adam even knew his dad’s name, he whipped out his phone, called his dad and the next scene found us in the nicest restaurant in Boise, The Cottonwood Grill, eating perfectly cooked halibut and Western USA beef with the famous builder, his wife, Jan and even his lovely daughter, Amanda. I will never forget, (and neither will Adam), the good Jim Hunter, head bent toward my excited nephew, patiently teaching and answering all of his questions about the land acquisition and home-building business in Boise, Idaho and beyond.  

The next stay found us with this wonderful family at the Boise Farmer’s Market, where the Hunters of course, knew everyone, and their beautiful daughter, Amanda, came along and even their other son, Cody. We ate crepes and sat around a fountain, talking and laughing and watching the Boiseans. We continued through the afternoon, driving through the dry, open landscape outside the city, touring all of the gorgeous custom homes this man has built and his wife, Jan, has designed. What a miracle team they are, creating homes where people can live, laugh and love! 

We finished the day at their lovely, so Western, 5,000 square foot home, built on a crystal blue lake with glorious views from every room. Jan, Kim and I took a walk in the woods near their house with the lake on one side and the river on the other, and the cottonwoods sprayed their lovely essence on our skin in the late afternoon. In the meantime, Jim and his son Cody were teaching Adam how to fish. He caught five! They had a really cute little dachshund, Mason, who kept running in circles, excitedly licking the flopping fish! (They threw them all back, assuring us that bass are tough.)

This incredible family totally adopted us for the weekend. Never will I forget their generosity! These people have full, busy lives, yet they took the time to give us a whole day and a half. I am inspired not only by their generosity but their spontaneity. I only hope that I would do that, be willing to drop the everyday appointments and errands to meet new people and show them my city. Talk about Vacation at Home! 

Who could have known that Jim Hunter and his magnificent Western architecture homes would so capture the heart of a thirteen year old boy living 30 miles outside of London that he would follow his passion all the way to Boise, Idaho so that we could all meet. When we are living our passion, we attract the people, events and places that we need to propel us forward. Thank you, Adam, for living your passion and bringing us together in this wonderful world God has created for us all.