We're selling our home

It's time. It's been time for quite some time. But now it's really time.

My motto the past 2 weeks has been, "If you cut your hair short, you can't wear it in a pony tail." 
So in other words, if we want to get rid of the pool in the backyard, we need to move.

Several months ago I asked each of my four sons individually what was the smell of their childhood. 
Three of my four had the answer, "chlorine."

But they have all been gone over a decade now. Dennis continues to clean the pool. 
He continues to treat it and keep it going, for what? No one uses it.

So since the pool can't leave us, we must leave the pool. And our three back yards. 
It's that big out there.

However....how do I walk away from this....my sons' growth chart in our closet since 1990.

I could never paint over it. The new people will have to do that.

a little close up of it...


The realtor said we need to remove all family pictures. We did that.

I'm sure she does not want Tyler's scriptures left on the back of his door either. 
He put these up way back when he was a teenager. He's 30 now.
He put the House Rules on his door too. 

(I blurred out his private goals to himself.)


And then there's this....

After Tyler got a degree from BYU he went back to school at Utah State to get an additional degree 
in math. Dennis would keep track of his schedule. 
On any given day back then he could tell me what class Tyler was in and where it was.
He's had this up in his office for years....




Also this map of Tyler's classes on campus. 

Not sure why he kept extra copies of the campus map.
Just in case someone someday asked for one?


You might say Dennis is an involved Dad. Even to those sons not born to him.

But off the wall they have to go. 
But not yet. Can't do it yet.

First, I have to get rid of this image....

This is how they looked when we moved in 26 years ago!


People move everyday.
I know 3 families who are moving this week and they act like it's no big deal.


To us, it's a big deal. 
Den and I had been praying about this ever since we got married 16 years ago. 
And now it's time.


15 comments:

Richard said...

So....where are you headed?

Grandma Honey said...

Just a mile from here. Even though we are downsizing, we will have room for you. We hope you come to visit us. Ask Hailey about our house. She's seen the model of it and she loves it.

Rebecca said...

Ohhhh the is so nostalgic! Your house is a house of love. But just remember, that love will go with you wherever you go! Houses are houses, it's the people in them that makes them a home. And I have heard of people cutting out the growth wall and framing it and taking it with them...just saying...

Scrapally said...

The new owners of your home will be in a little piece of heaven. You have created a beautiful refuge from the storm, and you will do the same thing to your new home. Can't wait to see pictures of the process!

Anonymous said...

So glad you have records of all this. It IS so nostalgic isn't it? I like seeing the picture of your house. I've never seen it before! It's bigger than I thought. Two stories? Nice.
Can't wait to see pics of the new place. Every room, please.
darlene

Grandma Honey said...

It will be a while before we get into the new house, but I'm going to put a picture of every room of this house on my blog soon, so we'll have record of it. And for once, it's all clean at the same time.

Grandma Honey said...

That's too funny Rebecca about taking the growth chart with us. After everything I've put Dennis through the past 2 weeks, that's all I need to do is tell him he needs to cut out that wall so we can take it with us!

Karen Mortensen said...

Wow. Good luck with everything.

Susan Anderson said...

It's always so hard to pull up roots. I wrote a poem about that when we moved to Northern California, and I hope you don't mind my sharing it with you here. Leaving behind a home where children were raised is so hard…but there is happiness on the other side, too. We have ended up very happy here, after all. (At least you are moving close to your old home!)

The Legacy
©1994 Susan Noyes Anderson

Old house, you held a family in your womb.
You stood upon the soil with warmth and grace,
a sanctuary and a birthing place,
nurturing life and love in every room.
You watched the hearty agapantha bloom
with every child, secure in your embrace,
providing boundaries bathed in high-beamed space;
your orange-blossomed peace a sweet heirloom.
No last goodbyes will echo through our sleep;
you ‘ll be no long-forgotten, empty shell.
We mined our roots, but found the veins too deep;
in leaving you, we left ourselves as well.
Each broken, earth-bound fiber yours to keep.
Each golden, lonely secret yours to tell.

grandmapeg said...

There are so many memories there for you guys, and I especially loved seeing the growth chart and the boys on the counter. I'm sure there will be some tears shed the last time you leave the house, but I'm sure you will take plenty of pictures. I've only been there three different times and it makes me a little sad, but then you know how sentimental I am. But...I'm sure you will make lots of new memories in your new house!

Heidi G. Ballas said...

I cried when I heard. Jim and I will have to come and visit you and Dennis in the new house when we are in town. Thank you for being the best neighbors, ever. On the other hand, I am so excited for you and for your new neighbors!!

Grandma Honey said...

Oh Heidi.....you and your are family, are family to us. We will never have neighbors as wonderful as all of you. This is by far the hardest part about leaving. Dennis pointed out that I have lived longer next to your family, than I have lived with any of my own kids!

Yes yes yes we want you and Jim to come by and see us!!!

Richard said...

I'd like a ceiling fan in my guest room, please.

Richard said...

And cable/satellite TV and a good reading light.

Grandma Honey said...

We've got the ceiling fan and reading light covered, but you'll have to bring your own TV.

Look what happened last night

  Just a little pre-graduating gathering for our DIL Amy.... Not everyday a Mom of 7 and a Grandma of 7, graduates from college. It was not ...