Reflections....

Prior to moving into the RV, we lived in a 2500 square foot, 4 bedroom home.  We had lived there for almost 5 years and had done extensive remodeling.  Last summer, to prepare for our new adventure, we listed our home for sale.  After several months on the market without a sale, we made the decision to rent it instead. 

The process of moving everything out and making the decisions on what to do with what, had to be done.   Each item in the home has a memory attached to it and at times making those decisions came hard.  When I came to all the items that had belonged to my father, I was torn.  One part of me wanted to keep them with me but realistically that was not possible.  I first decided to put them with all the pictures, but then the more I thought of that, I realized I was being selfish.  I finally gave them to my sister to keep. Well, almost everything, I kept my grand-parents wedding rings.  They fit Nelson and I perfectly!  No, we are not wearing them, but I wanted to keep them with me.  My grandparents passed before I was born, but from what I have been told, they had a long and happy marriage.  Maybe the wedding rings fitting us is a sign of a long and happy marriage for us. I know this sounds goofy, but some things make no sense.

Up to this point, I don’t think it really sunk in that we would be homeless, more or less.  We have sold homes before and I remember leaving them for the last time and bottling up the memories for the future. But this time, as I walked thru the empty home, I did not feel that disconnect, that this is the end and the memories are done here feeling.  Maybe because we are renting the house and not selling it and I know that I will be back again. 

One of the memories I did bottle up was a time before we moved in, we went to the home with our oldest grand-daughter who was 18 months old at the time.  There is a small shelf in the master bedroom closet to hold shoes and she loved to go sit on it with that big beautiful smile on her face.   I also remember my daughters getting ready for proms, the revolving door period of kids moving in and out as they grew into their adult lives, the addition of each grand-child and son-in-law that made our family larger and happier.  I remember the fun back yard parties with all of our friends and family, the longs days and nights studying to become a nurse, the late night hot tub parties.  We had a wonderful time in this house that we made into a home.

Now, it’s time for more memories and the future looks bright!