Saying Goodbye to our Little Old House

Last night we took our kids over to our old house for a goodbye party. It was empty, and chilly, and our voices echoed in the open space.  We sat in a circle on a blanket and shared our memories from living there. 

Among my kids favorites were:

Nerf gun wars in the front yard with their cousins.

Building forts in the backyard out of rubber floor mats.

Getting to walk downtown.

Pillow fights with Mom and Dad.

Playing Grocery store in the basement with the food storage - all together, with the whole basement set up into stations.

Marshmallow and bug and fairy themed birthday parties.

Having Mom and Dad line them up on the couch, instruct them to open their mouths, and compete with each other at pitching mini-marshmallows into their mouths.

The rope swing in the backyard.

Climbing the (only) tree.

Sitting on the front porch swing.

Cooking and baking wonderful things in the kitchen.


It occurred to me that their most precious memories of our home had very little do with the place where we lived.

The common thread that ran through them all was FAMILY.  All the times that we spent with our kids doing ordinary things, or the times that they spent playing together  have become their most treasured memories.

It was comforting, in a way, as we sang an early, "Happy Birthday to our House" that will soon be 100 years old.

To Know.

It doesn't matter where we live at all, what matters is the stuff that happens there.

The time that we spend with each other.

Here's one last look at our home........

Goodbye Little Old House. I know you are just a house.

But thank you for 8 years of wonderful memories.