Won't Take Nothing But A Memory...

Won't take nothing but a memory

From the house that built me

~ Miranda Lambert

We survived what I am now refering to as 'The Move That Wouldn't End'. Despite a few hiccups and very little help we have moved all of our wordly possessions into our apartment. (well all of the possessions that will fit - various items have been stashed at my parent's house and in friends garages temporarily) Lyvi has handled all of the upheavel pretty well but she does get pretty restless in our new home. (I don't blame her a bit, I feel pretty restless myself). To calm her nerves (and mine) we take a daily drive around Montgomery. She typically falls asleep shortly after the drive begins and I drive around my hometown allowing nastaligia to creep in.  So much has changed in the nearly 10 years since I moved away from Montgomery - new roads, new shops and restaurants, new schools and sports complexes. In fact, new people live in the house that I grew up in - 'The LakeView House' 

When my parents moved out of  'The LakeView House' almost 5 years ago there was no shortage of tears.  You have to understand that 'The LakeView House' is where my parent's brought me (and my sisters) home from the hospital and where I lived until I left from college...it was home.  I had never lived anywhere else.  Within its walls I grew up, I learned life lessons and built the foundation of who I would become. All of my childhood memories are wrapped up in that house. Spending countless hours in the kitchen with my mom & my sisters...backyard campouts...Holidays...our tire swing...a snake bite (ouch!)...birthdays & slumberparties...a house fire...my first boyfriend...my first love...proms & new year's eve parties (friends sleeping in bathtubs and under pool tables), it's where I brought Chris to meet my family for the first time...you get the idea. When they moved, it was hard. At the time it felt like we were leaving all of those memories behind, like we were having to walk away from the future we planned to have in that house. 

I have made several moves of my own over the years, none of them as hard as 'that move' until now.  As I packed up '#17' I felt like I was leaving so much behind so much.  It's where I hosted my first Christmas Eve dinner, were we celebrated Chris' graduation, where we planned, and dreamed, and hoped and finally started our own family.  I think that's what makes '#17' different than the other places we lived...it really felt like our home. Countless tear's were shed over the move, I was packing up so much, but it felt like I was leaving so much behind.

Now seated amongst the boxes in our apartment I have come to a realization.  We didn't walk away from those memories made in either home...we simply packed them up and took them with us.  And the future plans? Well, the plans didn't really change...we just modifed the local a bit.

I am greatful for all of the memories (good & not-so-good) that were made in my first homes...the house that built me and the house where I built my family and I look forward to the memories that we will make in the future (wherever we may roost).  I wish good things for the families that now call 'The LakeView House' and '#17'.  I hope they are able to fill the walls with warmth and laughter and that when the time comes, they are able to pack-up box loads of happy memories to carry with them. I sincerely hope they love those homes they way that I have and they way that a part of me always will.

EDIT:   I hit publish on this post last night and climbed into bed realizing that it wasn't really done.  I've gone back and added a few thoughts so that it truly says what is in my heart.