We sold our home and last week in a flourish of
signatures our home was no longer our own.
signatures our home was no longer our own.
The place that was always our space was, now
someone elses.
someone elses.
The days leading up to settlement were a mad race
of moving and packing. It was a blur.
of moving and packing. It was a blur.
But the day before closing, we slowed down for a
minute.
minute.
We ordered take out and opened a bottle of wine (the expensive stuff we
had brought home from Washington).
had brought home from Washington).
And in that moment the memories started coming
back.
back.
Memories, of a shared college graduation party
and, walks to Charlie’s Bar for snow beers.
and, walks to Charlie’s Bar for snow beers.
Of Bay Fest parties that started at
9 am with Mimosa’s and ended well into the night.
9 am with Mimosa’s and ended well into the night.
There was the epic cake fight of my 24th
birthday that left our home covered in cake.
birthday that left our home covered in cake.
There were Christmas parties andimpromptu dance parties in the dining room.
We drank jello shots and car bombs and sangria
and cheap beer. We drank wine and ate fancy cheeses.
and cheap beer. We drank wine and ate fancy cheeses.
I learned to cook even if I occasionally set off the smoke detectors.
There were game nights and lazy Sunday’s filled
with donuts and movies.
with donuts and movies.
There was a white fluffy puppy who we welcomed into our
home and who was always there to welcome us home.
home and who was always there to welcome us home.
We had candle lit dinners and cook outs.
It was in that home that I found out that our
family would soon be plus one.
family would soon be plus one.
It was there that I watched my belly grow and
watched our family change. The parties and the drinking were replaced with
quiet nights cuddling on the couch and talks of how to decorate a nursery.
watched our family change. The parties and the drinking were replaced with
quiet nights cuddling on the couch and talks of how to decorate a nursery.
It was this home that we left at midnight on a
Wednesday and returned on a Friday with a tiny little boy, who would make this
home more full of life than it had ever been.
Wednesday and returned on a Friday with a tiny little boy, who would make this
home more full of life than it had ever been.
Beer bottles were replaced by baby bottles and a
home that was once loud was now quiet because “the baby was sleeping”.
home that was once loud was now quiet because “the baby was sleeping”.
It was there that I walked a colicky infant and
rocked my baby. It was in that home that he took his first steps and said his
first words.
rocked my baby. It was in that home that he took his first steps and said his
first words.
It was a home that quickly bursted at the seams
with toys and baby gear. It was a home that our family had suddenly out grown.
with toys and baby gear. It was a home that our family had suddenly out grown.
It was our home.
And as I walked out of Jack’s room for one last
time and looked around it was all there; the cake, the burnt dinners, the jello
shots, the baby bottles, the toys, the first steps. All the little pieces that
made it home. And then it wasn’t, it was just walls and floors and empty
spaces.
time and looked around it was all there; the cake, the burnt dinners, the jello
shots, the baby bottles, the toys, the first steps. All the little pieces that
made it home. And then it wasn’t, it was just walls and floors and empty
spaces.
Because home will always be were John, Jack and
Bailey are and it was time to bid this house farewell.
Bailey are and it was time to bid this house farewell.
What a sweet ode to your first home and all the great memories. The new home will have great memories too, just different.
Thank you, I can't wait start making new ones.
Oh I loved this! What a perfect post about saying good bye to your home. WE moved last year after ten years in our old home. I can relate. But, I learned very quickly that home is anywhere my family is. 🙂 Stopped by from PYHO.
So glad that you liked it.
We recently sold our house of 7 years and moved across country so i can totally relate to this.
I'm glad you good relate, I hope you are enjoying life in your new home.
So hard to leave "home" behind- but yes, home really is where our family is anyway!