I remember when my parents came back from "some errand" and announced we were to begin a new adventure! They had found us a new place to live! The house was in a "cul-de-sac", which was a fancy word for "circle". We would be moving from our home in Omaha, to a far-away-away place called "Millard". We were full of questions. How could all the houses be in a circle? How would the cars get to them? Would our family and friends (especially Lee Bena) be able to find us in “Millard”?! My mom drew a picture explaining the cul-de-sac. The "star" was at the house at the center of the circle, and that would be our new home.
My 9th birthday was celebrated on the kitchen floor, moving boxes all around us, Godfather's pizza for dinner. (Godfather's BEFORE it became a chain.) That was the FIRST memory in our new house.
A million activities made it our home: picking up rotten apples in the backyard, gathering produce from mom's garden so she could "can" it, building the "addition" (turning the garage into a bedroom and diverting the driveway so it actually LOOKED like the house was built that way); digging out the backyard to put in the above-ground-pool. Taking “first day of school” pictures in front of the house every year. Getting your head stuck in the banister going down the stairs. Getting your bottom stuck in the clothes chute and having the neighbor firefighter come unplug you. :blush: Homecoming pictures, Prom Pictures, Graduating from High School Pictures, Pregnant Pictures, Bringing Baby Home From Hospital Pictures, Graduating from College Pictures, We Just Got Engaged Pictures! (“No, I'm not out of order; I'm in my OWN order.”) Another million memories captured on film. We've celebrated so many happy ones there, baptisms, birthdays, graduations, and we endured the pain of countless ones.
As we grew up and moved into our own homes, we knew dozens of people whose parents upgraded into newer, bigger, better homes. My folks just kept making OUR HOME bigger and better. The gardens changed from produce we ate to flowers and ornamental trees and plants that we enjoyed and photographed. My kids still refer to the property as “Grandma’s Park”, because there was so much to do and see there.
My last visit home, I spent the last nights I’d ever sleep again in my childhood home. It was bittersweet, revisiting all the nostalgia. So many emotions and memories wrapped up in one address, 10529 “S” Circle.
On the one hand I don’t want to let go of the ties I have to my family home. On the other hand, I’m thankful that my parents get to be released from the restraints that were holding them there. Today is the last day for my parents at that address, tonight they’ll close it up and tomorrow morning they’ll be on the road en route to their next adventure.
And from today forward, I consider where I live now, to be “home”.
A million activities made it our home: picking up rotten apples in the backyard, gathering produce from mom's garden so she could "can" it, building the "addition" (turning the garage into a bedroom and diverting the driveway so it actually LOOKED like the house was built that way); digging out the backyard to put in the above-ground-pool. Taking “first day of school” pictures in front of the house every year. Getting your head stuck in the banister going down the stairs. Getting your bottom stuck in the clothes chute and having the neighbor firefighter come unplug you. :blush: Homecoming pictures, Prom Pictures, Graduating from High School Pictures, Pregnant Pictures, Bringing Baby Home From Hospital Pictures, Graduating from College Pictures, We Just Got Engaged Pictures! (“No, I'm not out of order; I'm in my OWN order.”) Another million memories captured on film. We've celebrated so many happy ones there, baptisms, birthdays, graduations, and we endured the pain of countless ones.
As we grew up and moved into our own homes, we knew dozens of people whose parents upgraded into newer, bigger, better homes. My folks just kept making OUR HOME bigger and better. The gardens changed from produce we ate to flowers and ornamental trees and plants that we enjoyed and photographed. My kids still refer to the property as “Grandma’s Park”, because there was so much to do and see there.
My last visit home, I spent the last nights I’d ever sleep again in my childhood home. It was bittersweet, revisiting all the nostalgia. So many emotions and memories wrapped up in one address, 10529 “S” Circle.
On the one hand I don’t want to let go of the ties I have to my family home. On the other hand, I’m thankful that my parents get to be released from the restraints that were holding them there. Today is the last day for my parents at that address, tonight they’ll close it up and tomorrow morning they’ll be on the road en route to their next adventure.
And from today forward, I consider where I live now, to be “home”.
Beautiful, touching, and well-written post. Although you grew up in a different home than I, so many of your "home memories" resemble mine. You and your parents are in my prayers as they start a new journey through life. God bless
ReplyDelete-Abby
puts tears in my eyes... love you baby
ReplyDeletechris