Our house

Our house is for sale again.  Not the house we currently live in, nor the one in our former town.  The "our" is not my sweet little family, it is the "our" of my parents' family.  My parents moved out of that house sixteen years ago, when my father desperately needed to live in a house without stairs.  We had moved into that house when I was fifteen, right after school ended my freshman year.  It was a beautiful old victorian home on Main St., which was lined with gorgeous old homes.  My father spent three years making it into the gorgeous home that it became for our family.  There was even an enclosed back porch he built on the back.  It became "his" spot, and was his sanctuary when he became ill.  In fact, I vividly remember him sitting on that back porch when I got home from work the day we first realized he was ill.

These are the second owners after my parents, but very few changes have ben made in the sixteen years since they moved, with the exception of a complete kitchen reno.  I had mentioned the house being for sale in group text chat with my mother and sister.  My mother began reminiscing, and mentioned how many great memories she had in that house.  The high school and college graduation parties for both my sister and myself were in that house.  My mother hosted so many holidays and other gatherings in that house, and I had friends over often during my teenage years.  It was a large home that could accommodate a good number of people.  Because it was on Main St. my parents made a celebration out of the town festival parade.  Many friends and family were invited to watch from the porch each year.  I remember even after being married and moving away, Andrew and I would often go up the night before and stay over so we could be there bright and early for the festivities.  We didn't even really care about the parade, but we loved seeing the people!

I share my mother's good memories.  The part I am struggling with right now is having the good memories make me smile and not cry.  My emotions are pretty ramped up right now.  Regardless, I am very grateful for all those wonderful memories made in that house.