Goodbye, Roses

Hello and welcome to the blog.

I’m up late tonight, not feeling my best and really in my emotions. I’ve shared lately that we have been in the process of moving. We are successfully moved in and pretty well settled. We’ve been in our new home for about a month now, which is wild. I did find it emotional coming here at first but I quickly felt at home in our new house (I guess really is wherever you’re family is). I had been doing pretty well until today. I hadn’t thought much about our old home. But, now I’ve been forced to as we will close on it next week.

Today I took AJ for one last visit to the old house and at the early age of 2, he seemed to have already forgotten that he had spent most of his life there. He did a quick run around and then headed for the door, as if to say “ok can we go home now?” He’s adjusted so well to the move, probably better than any of us, actually. He gets it from his dad. I’m the one who still gets a bit sad thinking of our old house.

It held so many memories and will continue to for years to come in our hearts. Something about the place that made it kind of magical was the fact that the soil could grow the best roses you’ve ever seen. Rose bushes that were really more like trees bore absolutely beautiful deep pink roses. They overflowed the window to what was my husband‘s office. They were a sight. Our dog hated them so, bless him. He often came in with bumps on his nose from getting stuck by the large thorns. I never knew why he hated them but he certainly did.

Its funny thinking back to how small the kids and dog were when we moved in. Chuck wasn’t even a year old and four years after moving in we brought home a newborn AJ. We hosted birthday parties and Thanksgiving dinners. Opened our doors to friends (although not often enough because I’m a major introvert). We dealt with water damage (so many water problems), rebuilt pipes, laid new floors, painted walls, patched holes, became best friends with the plumber (kidding but we have a stack of plumbing paperwork you wouldn’t believe). We loved there. We cried there. We laughed there. We lived there. We grew there.

Isn’t it wonderful to think about having a place to grow? Much like the beautiful roses growing strong year-after-year that we always admired so, we also have done the same. I’m grateful for that good sunny spot God gave us to grow. He watered us, fed us, shaded us, and even cut us back when the harsh winters were coming to protect us so we could grow more beautiful come the spring. Oh, God I’m grateful for that home. Please continue to bless it and allow the roses to grow.

Until next time.