Lots of Changes

It has kind of been a summer of change for us.  Even though they were big life changes and a bit emotional for all of us; they were good.

Mom retired.  She loved her job at school and everyone at school loved her.  But, every season has an end and she is going to love retirement.  Happy Retirement Mom, the best is yet to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even more emotional is selling our childhood home.  Having Mom and Dad here in Clinton is the best thing that could have happened to us.  I'm so excited to have them just around the corner and I love that they will be a part of my kids' every day lives.  But losing our connection to Gridley and having my parent's house not be my "home" anymore is sad.  Heart-breaking really.  Everything fell right into place with finding their new home and how quickly the old one sold.  I know God has his hand in it all.  The last time I was in the house, it was just Mom and I and the kids.  We got the remaining odds & ends out and everything cleaned up.  I said my good-byes and felt a peace as I drove away for the last time.  It's time for another family to make their memories there.  Before I left I took a few pictures of some of my favorite places.  They are etched forever in my mind, but I wanted them in print too. 

These stairs creak.  But I know just where to step so they don't.  I love these stairs. 

My bedroom.  It is tiny, like teeny-tiny.  But it was all mine.  

 

  

 My favorite hiding spot.  All 3 of us kids could fit in here.  And I'll never forget the smell of it.  It smells like home.

I love this view down the stairs, right outside of my bedroom.  The countless times I hollered down there, threw my stuff over, or leaned over as far as I could just for the scare of it.

 It's silly, but this is my bedroom light.  I love this light and the sound it makes when it is pulled on or off.  I had a hair ribbon tied to the pull and my bed was right underneath.  The countless hours I spent reading under this light....

This stained glass is not original to the house; Dad made it a few years back.  Every time I drove away from the house, Mom was waving good-bye out this window.  From the time I was a little girl and a friend picked me up to play for the day, to leaving for college after a weekend visit, to driving away with my own family after a Gridley visit; Mom was always peeking out this window.  You can't really tell in this picture, but Dad left the very center of the stained glass clear so we could still see Mom waving to us.   

These registers were throughout the house.  They creak really loud when you open and close them.  This one in particular is in the living room.   After coming in from long day of play in the snow, we'd prop our feet up on this register to get warmed up. 

 The kitchen is where we spent most of our time.  Around this bar, sharing our stories; chatting with mom as she cooked.  This room was the heart of our home.  

One of my favorite places at this house is the front porch.  Oh, the secrets this swing knows.  Laughter and tears, late night talks.  This swing know it all.      

This is the tree that Dad planted from a seed.  Never in the history of trees has there been a more cared for and babied tree. 

This was my climbing tree.  We had a tire swing on it too.  I spent a lot of time up in this tree.  It had the most perfect "chairs" in it.  I hope there is another little girl that moves into this house and loves this tree as much as I did.  

That big, white house at the end of 6th street.  Thanks for the memories old house of mine.