Saying Goodbye

Last weekend, we bid farewell to our home of the last 6+ years. Selling our house was a lengthy process, filled with ups, downs, and in betweens.

There were times when we (or at least I) questioned our decision and had second thoughts.

We weren't able to find a home to buy in time, so we were forced into an interim place. Fortunately, the Bishop of the ward we were hoping to move into got wind of our situation (thanks Wanda!), and just happened to have a rental property that was vacating right when we needed to move in. He was willing to go month to month on the lease, and we were thrilled to have a roof over our head!

Going from a 3,000 sf house into an 1,800 sf condo meant that not all our stuff could come with us. We put the majority in storage, keeping just the necessities with us.

This is what pretty much every room of our house looked like for the last month!

Then moving day came.


As I watched the boxes leave, the trucks fill up, and the house empty, I was a bit surprised at the lack of devastation I felt.

Once the house was empty, and cleaned from top to bottom, we went back in to say goodbye.

I will miss the boys' Superhero room...

think I'm gonna have to recreate that one in our new house...

I was ready to be done with our UPS Brown bedroom...

time for something lighter and brighter!

Olivia has been begging for a more "grown up" room for over a year now.

Guess she'll be getting her wish...

I'll miss my "project room" most of all.

Six weekend's worth of Steve's blood, sweat, and tears

(not to mention a whole lot of love...)

went into building that room for me.

I think I spent the most time in the kitchen, and enjoyed almost every minute of it!

We spent hundreds of hours in the family room, watching movies, playing games, doing "Dance Pad", and wrestling around in a space that wasn't quite big enough!

As we walked from room to room that last time in the empty house, I reflected on the happy times we had there, but didn't feel sadness in leaving. Perhaps it's because at 37 1/2, I'm finally gaining control over my emotions. Perhaps it's because this move is the right thing for our family right now. Perhaps it was the realization that without our stuff and the liveliness of our family, the house was just an empty box...it's what lives inside that makes it home. Whatever the reason, as we drove away the final time, I didn't even look back. Only forward.