The following was written last week, but it took a bit of time for me to finally post this.
As I wait for the movers to arrive today, I’m not sure where I am emotionally. In just a few hours, I will leave the house that was the anchor of so many of life’s big and small moments over the last 18 ½ years, like the birth and growth of our only daughter, weekly family dinners on Sunday evenings, yoga on the deck, impromptu and not-so-impromptu celebrations. Over these years, we have taken this tract house and made it a home by customizing its appearance, making it a reflection of the family that dwelled within its walls.
And now, as I sit in the kitchen for the very last time, I review my walk with Roxie from yesterday. It’s the same route we’ve traveled almost daily since she joined our family almost 8 years ago.
A foggy day, the juxtaposition of natural beauty on the gray, almost eerie, background seemed to be a fitting final experience. The trees, flowers, and lakeside views are all of the things that brought me to love this neighborhood. Yesterday, it seemed as if Mother Nature had prettied herself up just for me. The flowers popped with color and the trees began to show signs of fall marking the change in seasons. How fitting. The clouds that hung over the lake also seemed to foreshadow the unknown that lay ahead as we enter this new chapter of our lives, uncharted even though we will remain close by in familiar surroundings.
So, I post these last photos from yesterday’s walk in tribute to our home and neighborhood. I know it’s just brick and mortar, but this house will forever be a symbol of the happy times we shared as a family.
