Go to 4 years of college
Graduate from college
Get married
Move to Pocatello, Idaho
Move to Grapevine, TX
Move to N. Richland Hills, TX
Teach for 5 years
Have a baby boy
Move to Idaho Falls, ID
Move to Meridian, ID
Have a baby girl
Move to Hurst, TX
Build countless memories of returning to that house during vacations and surprise visits home
Relish the joy of my kids "knowing" that house and loving it (and knowing exactly where all the candy is hidden.
Watch my children swing in the swings that I swang in, play basketball where my brothers played, and ride their bikes in the same place that I learned to ride a bike.
17 years is a long time when you look at the list of life changes that have taken place. It is not a long time to realize that they actually did what they said they would do. My childhood home went from this...
December 2007
To this...
July 2010
These pictures were taken with the thought that this may be our last Christmas all together (one family member was missing) in this house. Sadly, it was.
February 2010
Just after mom and dad moved out
July 4th, 2010
What was the front sidewalk...
Do you think as they tore everything down, they thought about
the year that Santa showed up on Christmas Day in person to deliver presents
the nights my best friend and I got in trouble for staying up talking and giggling WAY TOO LATE
the garage sales (and if you've ever been to one of my mom's garage sales you know it is definitely something to remember)
the times I came home from Harding unannounced to surprise my parents
the time Ryan and I drove all the way from Idaho to surprise them
the time we brought Kendall home from Idaho to meet her Texas family
the times we would drive by on the access road and honk and then call my parents to see if they heard us
how difficult the transition has been for parents to move to a new home after almost 50 years in one place
I know lots of you have moved from your childhood home and may be wondering what the big deal is. I guess the big deal for me is that it no longer exists. We didn't just move. We will never be able to drive by and show Baby #3 where I grew up.
But change is necessary. Cities grow and highways must be expanded.
Who knows in another 17 years maybe baby #3 will drive along what is now Hwy 183 and honk the horn on his/her car and say...this is where my mommy grew up.
6 comments:
wow, 17 years. DFW changes everytime I go back. Did I read baby #3???
They finally did it?! Wow. I remember when you guys got that letter and how sad you were. Crazy. And I "get it" how this has got to be hard for all of you! Goodness.
I loved that house. :)
Wow! Thats a long time. Many new memories will be made and old ones never forgotten. And yes a little honk, honk will be needed everytime you drive by.
I love this post. I've lived dozens of places in my life and I'll I've ever wanted is roots.
That is crazy! 17 years...
The same thing happened to the house Shane grew up in, but much quicker! Before they tore it down we went in and painted all over the walls and stuff- it was fun. But very sad to think about all of the memories that were made there.
I like this post.
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