Both Paul and I grew up in homes that doubled as a Bed and Breakfast for any preacher, ministry team, missionaries and, of course, family, that happened to be in the area. I have vivid memories of sleeping on the floor in my parent’s bedroom while strangers took over my room and the hall bathroom. At the time I thought that sleeping on my parent’s floor was an adventure. I’d frequently wake my parents up at odd hours of the night to describe the amazing story that I was imagining in my head while I lay in my sleeping bag NOT sleeping : ). And, getting to use their bathroom was like staying at a hotel (or some equally fantastic place that we rarely visited : ). I’ll venture to guess that my parents had a different view of sharing their room with their two young daughters, but I never heard them complain.
To them, having people in their home was the natural, biblical, and even fun thing to do. I remember listening to missionaries tell me stories of the countries that they’d lived in. I remember watching with big eyes all the college students laugh and talk and eat large quantities of my mom’s homemade cookies. There were the strange guests (like that guy who ate his cereal with orange juice, or the girl that would absently chew on the edge of her napkin at dinner, or the man who had his own mini trampoline and would bounced for half and hour each morning on our driveway…in his pajamas) and there were the guest who later in life became great friends (apparently, David Talbert and I had a grand time playing together when we were both five or six!).
The long and short of it was that our house was always open and people were always welcome. Though his stories are different, Paul would say that his house was exactly the same. Thus, when we got married, it was easy for us to adopt the “revolving-door” policy we had learned from our parents. We love to have people in our house. For dinner, for a bible study, for a night or for a few weeks!
All that being said, living in Dayton places us close to travel routes frequented by many. Travelling from the Midwest to the South? You’ll likely hit Dayton! Travelling from the Northeast to the Midwest? You might pass us along your route! Coming up from the South? Right past Cinncinnati you’ll see Dayton! Seriously, we are at the cross roads for many different destinations.
And what we want you all to know is that there is a room in our home for you! If you don’t need a room but you’d like a nice hot dinner, we can do that as well. Basically, please don’t ever pay for food or lodging when you are in the Dayton area (I mean, unless you have family and they would be mortally offended : ). And we’re even ok with short notice visits! In fact, if you don’t mind a messy house and maybe some frozen pizza, you can just show up at the door. Have children? We have sleeping bags! You aren’t close sleepers? Our daybed pulls out to a king size mattress!
We’d also be thrilled if you just came out to visit us (aww : ). We have some great museums (I’m looking at you, homeschool friends) some beautiful parks (you outdoorsy folk) and even a stocked fishing pond just steps from our backdoor (calling all Anglers!).
We have so many great memories of the people that have graced our home in the past and I look forward to many more. Who knows but that you will lodge yourself in Jack and Brenn’s memory…though hopefully not as one of the “strange” guests. Oh well, even if you eat cereal with OJ, we’ll still be happy to see you : ).
So Facebook message us, call us, text us, or email us! There is a room at the Snyder B&B for you : ).
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