Dear House #2

Ten years ago we moved from a home and community we loved. We had lived there ten years. It was the place our children had called home. It was where I would say we truly became a family. It was hard to leave and yet we knew where we were going was going to be equally as amazing and challenging. 

I wrote a letter (of sorts) to our home as we said farewell. 

You can read it here.  

We have now lived in our second home for ten years. Rather than waiting until we say good-bye, I want to write a letter to our current home and all it’s provided. 

Ten Years 

ten years ago we moved to our new home

i wish i still had the pictures of how we found you 

red kitchen walls, green formica countertops, a native american backsplash in the kitchen

a green bathroom downstairs

a strange, large storage room in the basement and a large utility room

a half-put-together room, maybe the makings of a future mother-in-law suite

an overgrown yard and a door that led to the ground six-feet below

but we loved you from the beginning 

those first couple of years brought several renovations due to flooding of different types 

so many home claims, our insurance dropped us 

year after year has brought a new change and shift

not only in your structure, but in our lives as well 

we completed our family in this home 

we sent off most of our children from your walls in these last ten years 

we’ve welcomed a couple of additional family members 

we’ve said good-bye to several loved ones 

through it all you kept us safe and warm

protected us from the long, hard winters of life 

we started new ventures in business 

had many difficult conversations 

ate around the table 

played many games 

we’ve welcomed many here to gather and to stay 

there is more to say and also more to do within your walls 

each morning i can wake up grateful for the loving space you provide

each night i rest peacefully 

and so thank you for the past ten years  

of laughter, tears, fighting and love 

of memories and stories to share for years to come 

keep holding us for just a little longer 

we plan to stay awhile