Good-Bye Home Sweet Home

Yup, I'm finally posting something! Clearly, I'm WAY behind, so I'm just going to jump in and start with a review of the last week. Maybe at some point I'll catch up on all the fun things that happened since Easter, but for now...the big news is...WE FINALLY SOLD OUR HOUSE!

After 10 years of living at 824 Pine Ave., we sold our little beloved home. The last few weeks have been a crazy blur of packing, garage sailing, making big decisions about our next home, and saying "good-byes" to our favorite neighbors. It's been a bittersweet time... reiminecing about the place where we shared our first two years as a single married couple, to raising our babies here. A lot of blood, sweat and tears was poured into this place to make it not just a house, but our home. The last 10 years have brought lots of ups and downs and unexpected changes to our life, both good and bad, and it's all happened right here at 824 Pine. If these walls could talk! But, it was time to close that chapter and move onto the next. We had no idea what that might look like and just prayed that God would make the next step clear and He did...as typical, in a way that we did not anticipate or expect. Instead of buying a new home, we are planning to build a home... in Hudsonville! It is an exciting process and we've already bought the lot, met with the architect, and this week we meet with the interior designer to make all the color and materials selections...I'm so anxious for this meeting. I LOVE interior design, but it's so many decision to make all in one day! I'm sure there will be many more posts to come on the building process, but let's back up and recap the moving day experience... to our current residence... a big old wonderful rental house in downtown Holland. Enjoy all the pics!

MOVING DAY

My man and my daddy

My studly brother Jon

Need a little help, Jon? :)

Jon lent us his trailer and it came in mighty handy! We loaded this baby up several times and slowly moved into the rental. It took about a week, but that's how I roll... one thing at a time...no need to rush.

GOOD BYE 1st HOME...

On our last day of occupancy, I had one final garage sale with my girlfriend Cory. It might have been the hottest, muggiest day of the summer, but we're troopers. All in all, I made over $800 between my garage sales and Craigslist! Woohoo...all to be used on a new washer/drier.

It was almost dark by the time we had every last iota out of the house and the rain was starting to pour, but we spent some time as a family walking through our empty house for the last time...taking videos and pictures, sharing stories about memories of each room. It was a bittersweet time and I cried, of course. At one point, Sam perceptively asked, "Mom, are you crying because you're happy AND sad?" "Yup, you got it buddy."

Here's pics of our empty home...

Basement Rec. Room

Laundry Room

(oh, how I will NOT miss you Dungeon)

Toy Room

Living Room

Kitchen

Master Bedroom

Sam's Bedroom

Carter's Bedroom

(our bedroom for the 1st seven years)

My cuties sweating it out...it was so crazy hot that night!

HELLO Temporary Home

So far, we are loving our new adventure at our downtown home. Such a different environment than what we are used to, but we've enjoyed being able to bike downtown and to the library, ride big wheels up and down the long flat driveway, and mow the lawn in less than 5 minutes!

Front porch...toy area

Front porch...sitting area

Living Room

Dining Room (finally!!)

Kitchen (love this island!)

The boys love eating breakfast and nighttime snacks at the island. Here's Carter loving his chocolate covered ice cream cone. What a mess!

Back porch...finally got me a mudroom!!!

Master Bedroom

(Our "landlords" left all furniture upstairs, so we now sleep in a kingsize bed! Love it!)

Sam's Bedroom. He loves the loft and glow in the dark star wall.

Carter's cute little nature room. He finally has his own toddler bed!

Such a big boy

(picture curtesy of Samuel Beckham)

While leaving our first home was hard, in just one short week, we already feel right at home here in our temporary home. It just goes to show that "home" is not the house, it's where your family is. And I love my family! Can't wait to continue this journey with my 3 favorite people.