{"id":19424,"date":"2026-03-11T07:38:46","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T07:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpbookstore.org\/articles\/uncategorized\/a-lesson-learned-during-a-family-trip-to-a-hobbit-house\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T06:07:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T06:07:52","slug":"a-lesson-learned-during-a-family-trip-to-a-hobbit-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpbookstore.org\/articles\/positive-living\/friends-and-family\/marriage\/a-lesson-learned-during-a-family-trip-to-a-hobbit-house\/","title":{"rendered":"A Lesson Learned During a Family Trip to a Hobbit House"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fifteen years. That\u2019s a big anniversary<\/a>. I wanted to surprise Jim with the best trip ever.<\/p>\n

Anniversary trips were a tradition nearly as old as our marriage. Each year, we took turns planning a secret trip for the other. We\u2019d stayed in a historic train car in Livingston, the Ghost Rails Inn in Alberton, Montana, and Chena Hot Springs in Fairbanks, Alaska. But this anniversary required someplace special. Somewhere completely unexpected. After 15 years, could we still surprise each other?<\/p>\n

The pressure was on\u2014and I found the perfect spot: The Shire of Montana. It was a J.R.R. Tolkien<\/a>\u2013inspired guest home, a \u201chobbit house\u201d built into a hillside near the small town of Trout Creek, a seven-hour drive from our place in Roundup. Jim and I had often talked about how fun it would be to build a hobbit house, so I knew he\u2019d be impressed. And our six-year-old daughter, Aurora, would love it.<\/p>\n

Whimsical structures dotted the grounds\u2014a troll mine, a wishing well<\/a>, houses for elves and dwarves and fairies. What child wouldn\u2019t be fascinated by a village made for child-size hobbits? This is going to be the best trip yet<\/em>, I thought as I clicked on the website to make our reservation.<\/p>\n

Jim inadvertently started our surprise trip tradition with a getaway for our first anniversary. When I asked where we were going, he playfully refused to tell me. \u201cIt\u2019s within a day\u2019s drive of Roundup,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s all I\u2019m saying for now. But make sure you pack something nice for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Our destination? The landmark Grand Union Hotel in Fort Benton. I was blown away. The surprise made it even more fun. I called dibs on Year No. 2 and planned a trip to Valier\u2019s Stone School Inn. After Aurora was born, she came on our adventures <\/a>too.<\/p>\n

She might love The Shire even more than we do<\/em>, I thought, glancing at our daughter, her little blonde head bowed over her latest painting-in-progress.<\/p>\n

I was about to book our reservation when I saw a note on The Shire\u2019s website: No kids allowed.<\/p>\n

That ruins everything!<\/em> We couldn\u2019t leave Aurora behind, and I had no Plan B. A year without an anniversary adventure was unthinkable.<\/p>\n

There was an email address on the site. Dare I ask if an exception might be possible? It couldn\u2019t hurt.<\/p>\n

A reply wasn\u2019t long in coming. \u201cThe rule exists because previous children destroyed large parts of the Elven Village,\u201d wrote Mr. Michaels, the owner. \u201cBut if you give me your word that your daughter is responsible and will not touch, she can come.\u201d I gulped, glancing again at Aurora. She was a good kid. Thoughtful. Well-behaved. This would be okay. Right?<\/p>\n

I wrote back, pledging nonstop close supervision, and filled out the reservation form.<\/p>\n

Over the next couple weeks, I received several emails from Mr. Michaels about our upcoming visit, each one addressed to \u201cErin, Jim and the well-behaved six-year-old.\u201d Mr. Michaels wasn\u2019t missing a single chance to remind me of my promise. Each time, I felt a prickle of concern. Aurora was so young. What if she made an innocent mistake?<\/p>\n

What if it was me <\/em>who\u2019d made the mistake? Our annual trip was supposed to be a fun adventure. How much fun would we have if I was hovering over Aurora, scolding her if she put a foot\u2014or hand, in this case\u2014wrong? The last word I wanted to associate with an anniversary trip was no<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The day finally arrived. We piled into the car for the drive to western Montana<\/a>. I couldn\u2019t help but be excited, imagining Jim and Aurora\u2019s reactions. Still, turning onto Hobbit Lane, I felt a pang of anxiety.<\/p>\n

God, please let this be a good experience for Aurora. For all of us.<\/em><\/p>\n

We passed a hand-carved wooden sign that read, \u201cthe adventure begins\u2026.\u201d Jim looked at me curiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll see.\u201d I pulled into The Shire, tucked into a grassy hillside surrounded by tall ponderosa pines. Jim\u2019s and Aurora\u2019s jaws dropped.<\/p>\n

Now came the hard part. As soon as we got out of the car, I pulled Aurora aside. \u201cChildren aren\u2019t usually allowed here,\u201d I said. \u201cSo you have to be very, very careful. You can look at everything, but don\u2019t touch.\u201d I explained the reason for the rule and how terrible it would be to damage anything.<\/p>\n

Aurora\u2019s eyes widened at my no-nonsense tone. \u201cI promise, Mama,\u201d she said solemnly. I tried not to wince. Had I just destroyed any illusion of wonderland? Nothing could kill joy faster than a stern<\/a> \u201cDon\u2019t touch!\u201d<\/p>\n

We pushed open Bag End\u2019s front door and walked in. The interior did not disappoint. Every detail had been carefully thought out. From the cozy fire crackling in the wood stove and the furry extra-large hobbit slippers (hobbits have big hairy feet) to the character-specific hats, Shire-themed lampshades and hobbit-height peephole in the door. There was even a golden ring<\/a> on a delicate chain\u2014just like the one in the novels\u2014hanging from a rustic railing near the ceiling.<\/p>\n

Aurora took everything in, keeping her hands pressed to her sides.<\/p>\n

Outside brought more wonders. Murals depicted the rest of the village. A massive tree stump out front served as a troll house. There was a hobbit honeymoon suite with a large round door, and even a hobbit firehouse, with a real bell, red door and fire extinguisher.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember, no touching,\u201d I reminded Aurora, feeling like a scold.<\/p>\n

She nodded and wrapped her arms tightly around herself.<\/p>\n

Had I scared Aurora so much about touching that she couldn\u2019t think about anything else? What fun is that?<\/em> I thought.<\/p>\n

As darkness fell, one by one, little colored lights winked on, scattered throughout the woods. We stepped onto the wooden footbridge that spanned the stream gurgling down the hill. Aurora walked beside us, hands clasped behind her back.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wouldn\u2019t take long for a careless kid to wreak havoc here,\u201d Jim whispered to me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Aurora understands,\u201d I whispered back. \u201cEverything is so carefully made. It\u2019s beautiful but fragile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halfway across the bridge, a whizzing sound overhead almost made us duck. Were those fairies zooming by? Aurora stopped, looking skyward. \u201cWhere\u2019d they go?\u201d she wondered out loud.<\/p>\n

I took a second look with her, clasping my hands behind my back too. Flying fairies <\/a>no longer seemed impossible.<\/p>\n

We spent several days at the Shire. Aurora delighted in each discovery but never disturbed a thing, not even the miniature bicycle and fairy clothes in the Fern Grotto that begged to be played with. She took her responsibility to protect Mr. Michaels\u2019s work seriously. Respecting boundaries <\/a>didn\u2019t take away the beauty and wonder; it allowed The Shire to remain beautiful and wonderful into the future.<\/p>\n

Not so different from a marriage<\/em>, I thought. Now I understood why God had brought us to this place to celebrate our fifteenth anniversary. Jim and I moved through life side by side as a couple, but we\u2019d learned to accept each other\u2019s individuality and boundaries as well. Marriage <\/a>was full of surprises, challenges and adventure. The key to making it work was respecting each other.<\/p>\n

Like The Shire of Montana, our marriage was a labor of love. One worth protecting. If we treated it with care, it would last a lifetime.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

For more inspiring stories, subscribe to <\/em>Guideposts<\/strong><\/a> magazine<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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