Firsts and Lasts

We're moving. In 3 days I'll be leaving the home I've lived in for the past 10 years...for the last time. If you know me, you'll know I'm a very sentimental type of person. I don't like change either. But, this move, this change is a good kind of change. We're moving to be closer to family. We'll be living in a beautiful part of the country and my boys will go to a fabulous school. So, I should be thrilled! And, I am! But, I'm also morning the loss of my life here. My 10 years of life that is full of firsts and lasts.

The moving truck comes tomorrow. They'll load up all the boxes that we've been packing for the past 4 weeks, some were packed even longer ago than that. And, as I've touched almost everything that we own, I remember the memories I have of this house that has been our home for the past 10 years.

This is the first home my husband and I have owned. We moved away from his family in TX to the Midwest, to further his career. It was a great move for us. We established ourselves nicely, finding a church ( I became a Catholic, after completing the RCIA process). We love our church. I'll miss our church terribly. I love going on Sundays, looking across at the faces, and knowing just about every one I see in our large congregation.

We found fabulous doctors, grocers, favorite restaurants, and favorite family places to take the kids....oh, the kids.... When we moved in this house, we didn't have any children. We came only with our guinea pig, Piglet. She was our "child" back then, traveling with us to visit family. But, even before our children, came our fluffy puppy. Our fist dog. We brought him home our first New Years Eve in this home. We played with him while we watched the ball drop. This is the only home he's ever known. But he'll make the trip with us to our new home.

I also had my accident in this house. I fell down the stairs, trying to take our puppy out to go potty "one last time". I slipped on the first stair, hit the back of my head on that stair and broke my C1. I spent 2 healing months in a C-collar, sitting still mostly because everything I did hurt. I even slept sitting up. But, I have made a full and complete recovery, thankfully.

One year after my accident, I had my baby shower for my first baby boy (only we didn't know it was a boy at the time). We've brought our three sons home to this house. I remember sitting in my rocker, nursing my first son, for the first time in my bedroom and telling my husband, "This is what I've always dreamed of. This is what I'm meant to do." I'll only have 2 more nights left, sleeping in that room. I'm hoping to have my 2 older boys in there with me for those 2 last nights.

All 3 boys took their first steps here, spoke their first words here, celebrated all of their Christmases, Easters, and some Thanksgivings. We've celebrated 13 of their birthdays here. At the age of 3, our oldest fell and knocked out 3 of his front teeth in the living room where I'm sitting now, on the coffee table where my laptop rests. There have been many a skinned knee, elbow, and even a cheekey or two from our driveway.

We've made many friendships in our neighborhood, some feel close as family. I can ask them for anything, and they can do the same. These friendships we've made aren't just your average run-of-the-mill relationships, these are strong, lifetime-lasting friendships. We're so blessed to have found such a wonderful group of friends.

I remember where I was in my bedroom when my sister told me that our Grandfather had passed away. I remember finding out my Grandmother had throat cancer.

We've painted every wall, changed almost all of the carpeting, changed the vinyl flooring to tile and hard wood. We've made this house our home. Only, in 5 days, it won't be our home anymore. And, in 3 days we'll walk out the door and never walk back in again.

It's sad to think, yes, that I will never see our kitchen tile again. I'll never smell the same familiar smells as I open the windows in the morning. I'll never play on the driveway with my boys, and look down and see the neighbors playing as well and be able to walk down and chat with my friend. Instead, I'll be picking up the phone to chat with her.

I may not be able to be in our first home again, but I'll always have the memories from living here. And, for that I'm so thankful.