As we are getting ready to say goodbye to the house we have made a home over the past decade, many emotions come up, and I have come to realize that a house means more than just the shelter it provides.
The walls in each room hold special memories, and saying farewell will be the hardest thing we have done as a family.
When I think of the word “house,” I think of a structure with walls, windows, floors, and a roof. No matter the living condition of the structure, the size, or the part of town you live in, we each have the opportunity to make our house a home. And the definition of “home” is different for everyone.
For my family, the way we have made our current house a home is through love and laughter. Through dancing and storytelling. Through games and meals together. Through forgiveness and kindness. Sure, we also have many material things that fill each room, but the material things become far less important unless those material items are shielding us during a fun game of hide and seek.
We have brought home two of our three children. Our family dog lived his final day of life here, which was also one of the saddest days we have endured together. Each one of us has reached many milestones within the walls of our home; my twins learned to walk and talk in our home; my older daughter learned to read at our kitchen table; my husband and I started and celebrated new careers with a toast on our back porch. We played and laughed. We’ve celebrated and we have cried.
This is so much more than a house.
I know that we can make any house a home, but that does not make leaving our current one any easier. Soon we will box up the material things, place the memories in our minds, and say goodbye.
