Our First House

I cannot believe we walked out of this house for the last time two weeks ago. Our safe haven. Our home. No longer our home, but someone else's home now. 

It feels so weird and that doesn't even feel like the right words to express the emotion I'm feeling. Excited for a new chapter. Nostalgic about all the good memories here. 

I'll never forget walking into the house for the first time and falling head over heels in love with it. Our beloved realtor, Jerry, found us this house and we are forever grateful to him. It's been such a good home to us. 

We spent countless weekend mornings on this porch drinking coffee. 

Many chilly nights were spent relaxing by this fireplace. 

I never knew how much I needed a fireplace when looking for a house, but it will always be a requirement from now on. We used it all the time and it just makes the house so cozy.

Many a lazy day was spent on that couch watching Netflix and chilling.

Many small groups gathered around this coffee table talking about God and life and studying The Bible together.

There were so many good memories. So many gatherings. So much laughter. So many good conversations. Authenticity and vulnerability happened here and it was so good.

Ahhh the kitchen. The heart of the home.

My happy place. My dream kitchen we put the blood, sweat and tears into creating two years ago.

I still love that fridge I picked out.

Many memories of G cooking his famous egg breakfast, spaghetti, appetizers, and South African Beef Strog. You know how they say the little things end up being the big things? That is how I feel when I look back and so fondly remember G cooking at this stove while I sat at the table talking about our day. Laughing. Living. The glorious in the mundane.

Gosh I do miss that fridge!

I will not miss the wood though that I never got around to painting. 

Many memories of dinner parties. Deep conversations as we broke bread together. THE BEST.

The guest room / G's closet. We didn't use this room enough if I'm being honest. I do remember last 4th of July cuddling in that chair and watching fireworks with Manny.

Our master. Not much time was spent here either and it was probably the most neglected room. I definitely plan to make our new master more like a hotel so I enjoy being in there more.

The office / Manny's room. I remember doing phone interviews at this desk when I was job hunting and staring into the backyard to relax me.

Our master bathroom, but actually just my bathroom. I loved having a bathroom in our bedroom, but hated that the tub was not conducive to a bubble bath.

The guest bathroom, but actually G's bathroom. See also: The secret to a happy marriage is not sharing a bathroom!

The basement aka the man cave. I came down here occasionally for a ping pong game or a movie, but this was G's domain. His space and he watched countless football and soccer games down here.

The bar G built a few years ago and probably the thing he is most attached to and sad to leave.

The basement bathroom which I only used once the entire 6.5 years we lived in. So yeah I didn't spend much time down here, ha!

The deck! The reason we bought this house. One of my favorite memories from this house is Eric and Jess telling us they were pregnant with Ella at this table on this deck on Father's Day four years ago. Such a wonderful memory!

The backyard hill. I will miss our sledding parties, but G will not miss mowing the hill, ha! 

It was a good home and I loved our time there. I'm happy a new family moved in and will make great memories. If there is one thing I've learned it's a house is not a home without your people in it. Where G, Manny and I are is my home. 

As I drove away from the house for the last time I didn't cry. In God's perfect timing I was listening to a podcast about not looking back on the past in sadness, but in thankfulness of the memories and to look forward to the future. I look back fondly on our first house and the beautiful memories we created there, but I'm so excited for our new home and this next chapter of life.