How I Spent My Summer Vacation

I believe it’s safe to say the Smith family has done just that. The summer of 2018 has been a summer of exploration and discovery with new dreams materializing into existence based on courage, stamina, and fortitude.  It’s been a summer of fresh beginnings while cherishing favored traditions of summers past. 

The catalyst behind the first big event was Kerry’s dream of moving her baby (Rustic Red Door) into a larger warehouse space. Her reasons were many, but the main one was the simple fact that God has been blessing her business with many exceptional and faithful customers, and more space was required to accommodate their needs. So, after much prayer and searching, negotiations for the new warehouse location were agreed upon and, with the help of many family members, RRD staff, and friends, the move was made in March.

The transition of creating a showroom out of an empty building began immediately and was completed just in time for the June Warehouse Sale.  The hours leading up to the deadline were tremendously long and hard. As you can see by our before and after pics, the success of this never-before-attempted venture rested on the entire Smith family (including the younger Smith men), family, friends and staff.  The boys helped with anything from picking up custom orders at the woodworkers’ shops in Ohio to unloading trucks to assembling products.

(A big Thank You to all our local customers—old and new—who joined us in celebrating this Rustic Red Door milestone!)

Next on the calendar was a much-needed break, and July 4th celebrations could not have been better timed or more welcome. The entire Smith family, along with Grandma and Grandpa, went on a sailing expedition to New York Harbor where they trolled off the back of the boat (nothing was caught, “but it was still fun!”), ate and watched fireworks.  I cannot imagine a better way to spend the 4th of July!

Included in the sailing trip was a little bit of official business. Because they had planned to be in NY anyway, the Smiths delivered a custom-made beam wrap to a home in Staten Island. (This was not the first time the Smiths have gone above and beyond the call of duty. It has always been the family and RRD staff’s goal to strive for customer satisfaction.)

At the end of the sailing/delivery trip was the best part of the week: a beach visit to Grandma and Grandpa’s home in Delaware.  It was here the boys went midnight shark fishing and crabbing. (The big disappointment came when the sharks only nibbled at the bait instead of engulfing the hook. *Sigh*)

What’s on tap for the Smith boys’ remaining dog days? It depends on whom you ask.

• #1 son was unavailable for comment
• #2 son plans to go big fish fishing in Cape May with an uncle and cousin
• #3 and #4 sons really wanna go to an amusement park. (I hate to break it to ya’, boys, but they were all underwater after the torrential rain we had last week.)
• #5 son was playing with the new kitty and having too much fun to give input.

One thing is for sure. The family behind the Rustic Red Door knows and lives by a strong work ethic. They live, laugh, love, and do it well.

Twenty years from now, they won’t be disappointed by the things they didn't do. They will have a plethora of wonderful memories of all the things they did. The Smiths regularly throw off the bowlines. They’re not afraid to sail away from safe harbor, purposely letting the wind catch in their sails. They know how to explore, dream and discover. 

Their busy—yet sometimes overwhelmingly full—lives are a huge inspiration for the rest of us to venture away from the comfort of safe harbor to experience the same.