This is the house.
The house that we purchased in a hurry. We were young and silly and our first home sold in a week. {You know… in the glory days before the real estate crash.} The house that we certainly didn’t take for granted, but at first, it felt a little different as all new houses do.
One of the first photos I took in our house, right after we moved in. We had mattresses on the floor that night, and many nights after. With one little toddling boy. And one sweet fluffy white dog.
The house where that sweet little boy grew bigger, and we brought home a new baby girl.
The house for sleepless nights, and hard moments that challenged us while faltering through hazy days on that lack of sleep.
The house where we received a wakeup call after our first trick baby, and now we had a colicky one. And right when the colicky one came home, the easy little boy stopped sleeping too. We took shifts. We stumbled through it with coffee and just barely functioning.
This is where we learned how challenging it could be to mange two.
This is the house for potty training, and sweet baby cheeks.
For first days of preschool, all decked out and ready.
For artistry in unexpected forms and permanent markers on babies when I turned my back for a split second.
And learning to laugh at these moments.
For welcome home banners made just for daddy, and messes from finger paints. Play-Doh jibbles all over the floor, and grass covered feet from long days in the back yard and treks to the park and dog drool.
Of cheering on new milestones and accomplishments: each toddle and word.
And just when we thought this was it, because our life was crazy enough… Just when that colicky baby finally started sleeping at nine months, we found we were expecting another.
This is the house where we brought home our favorite little surprise.
This is the house where we learned to survive. And then eventually, learned to do more than that.
This is the house of belly laughs. Sweet snuggles together under the covers on a Saturday morning. Of stomach viruses. Of 2,525 loads of laundry. Family movie nights with popcorn and apples.
Of more first days of preschool where a sweet big brother watched out for his baby sister.
Where our children learned compassion and friendship, and so much more.
This is the house where we captured the magic of ten Christmas seasons.
This is the house where we learned to slow down, and appreciate these moments.
Of gallops through the sprinkler on stagnant summer days. Of echoes of laughter off the walls and floors.
And 12,000 squeaky swinging sessions under the old pecan tree.
This is where a house became a home. With lightsaber wars, and pillow forts.
Dance parties and hamburgers on the grill for cookouts. Hide and seek, and dress up tea parties worthy of dignitaries.
And the world’s most elaborately impressive car ramps.
This is the house of rare quiet moments. But when they were, they were for sleepy pauses and deeper conversations.
This is the house where foundations were built.
This is the house where we had birthday pancakes for dinner… when it wasn’t anyone’s birthday.
The smells of fresh cooked bacon and experimental new recipes. And gathering around the table with dear friends and family for countless meaningful conversations.
Of glow bracelets and s’mores. Of new and old traditions that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.
This is the house of 5 kajillion dirty dishes. The clanging of pots and pans and wild imaginations.
Where we gathered in the living room for family game nights, and argued over who got to be the thimble. I have no idea what it is, about that thimble. Okay. Maybe that’s just me.
This is the house of squeals of delight over lost teeth. And subsequent tooth fairy visits.
Where we handed down our passion for reading, and instilling it in our children every way we know how, as best as we possibly could.
Where we decided to venture into the journey of home school, and had so many struggles and victories and A-HA moments together, we will cherish them forever.
This is the house where we learned what it means to wait.
This is the house where we found our inspiration. Our passion. Our voice in what we wanted to do.
Where we decided to work together, and that we could actually pull it off. To take a leap of faith, and grow a business of our own.
To push ourselves and each other.
This is the house where we learned who we are.
This is where we realized that it’s true what they say. Don’t blink, because we watched in amazement while our babies grew. Much too quickly.
There were hardships.
There were heated arguments. And then apologies, and working through it together as a team. There were tears and lots of breathless, hysterical laughter.
There were the ins and outs of struggling and choosing to grow together, or apart.
Of late night conversations in the back yard over the cadence of crickets… dreaming of the future. Reminiscing over the past.
This is where we decided to dig in together in the dirty trenches of marriage, and came out on the other side realizing how beautiful even the dirty parts can be.
And Mario Kart battles. Lots of Mario Kart battles. Those are important, too.
Of 10 different halloweens, and coordinating costumes.
This is where we fought for our family and our covenant together.
Of giggles, melted popsicles, skinned knees and bee stings.
This is where we transformed and evolved together.
This is the house where we said some hard goodbyes. And learned about heartache and grief. This is where we learned that the hardest part of heartache, is when your children feel it, too.
This is the house where we were silly together and worked through the hard parts together.
And this is the house where our family grew with two more fur babies who needed a home, with a lot to live up to in their big sister.
This is where it’s hard to say goodbye to a house that has been a wonderful home.
But this is also where the next chapter finally begins.
We’ve had our final hurrahs. Said our final goodbyes. Packed each box and cried through the cathartic process of packing up each room. Ten years is a very long time. Thirteen total… our roots run deep.
We went to a local Baseball game a few nights ago with friends, and bought out the local gift shop with souvenir shirts for everyone. And there I was, crying in the middle of a souvenir store, like a crazy person over T-shirts. When we got to the car, I burst out that it had been hard, but Montgomery has also been good to us, too. And we all cried. And then I looked at my phone and in that exact moment, a friend in Nashville had left us a message, telling us all about how she’d just had dinner right down the street from our new house. And then gone out for ice-cream, right around the corner. And while they were out, ran into a friend, who she didn’t realize lives three doors down from our new house.
And it was the perfect set of words over the perfect little voicemail that I listened to three times in a row. Because the future is bright.
Scary… but bright.
That house, the one that felt so different at first, is the house that has been very good to us. The one we’ve called home for ten years. We left our mark, on a beam in the attic. As a way to say goodbye… a way to let the kids leave their names on the only place they’ve ever known as home. This is the house we’re handing over, and our prayer is that it’s to a family who will create their very own kind of special memories here. Who will grow and make their own magic.
And we know that if this house was such a good place for us, then the next one will be all that much more… it’s that delicate mixture of what makes life so bitter sweet. It will become the backdrop to the second act. We can’t wait to begin.
This is the house that built us.
All the feels!!! Such a crazy beautiful ride this life thing is. Best of luck with the move!!
Ashley, such a beautiful tribute. Congratulations on writing with such clarity about where you’ve been, what you’ve done, and what you’ve become. I loved this post. We are 10 years into stage 2, and you guys have great things coming. The parties and gatherings and adventures and conversations of jr high and high school are amazing! Welcome to your new life.
The Other Marian
I cried and cried reading every word of this post. My husband, 2 children and I are moving from our home of 8 years in about a month and moving 1,000 miles away where we know no one to have what we hope will be an amazing adventure!! I am so excited and scared at the same time!! All these crazy up and down feelings!!! Thanks for sharing, somehow it helps me 🙂 all the best to you and I will continue to follow your journey!!
I have tears in my eyes right now. Call me silly and emotional. This was a beautiful post. I graduated from MTSU in Murfreesboro, TN and my vey bestest friend lives there. She and her husband work, in Franklin, with their son, Jonathon and his partner at Keystone Financial. I go antiquing their every time I visit her. You have chosen a beautiful place to make new memories.
I’m not a very weepy person, but this had be tearing up! We have a baby and toddler right now (two girls) and are just starting out, even though we are older. After leaving our first few years abroad in Jerusalem, and being in transition for six months, we are waiting for our first home, and I trust we’ll get one and start the joys of it all. I’m sitting here watching our six month old learn how to crawl and listening to our two year old learn to talk and wondering how it all be be and praying that the bend in the road leads to a long view toward the horizon.
Your blog has been encouraging and solidly inspiring to me. You have a special family!
What a wonderful post ! Best of luck on your move and all the memories you will build in your new home!
I cried reading your sentimental journey. Good luck on your new adventure. Moving is hard, exciting and full of new friends and memories.
And… now I’m crying! What a beautiful post. I identify with SO much. We’ve lived in our house for 15 years, and have brought home three babies here (our “surprise” will be 1 next month). I have that comforter in the first picture on my bed right now (it looks sad, but it’s super comfy). We talk all the time about wanting to move to a bigger house with more land, but I know if and when we finally do it, it will be SO hard to leave this house. I’ve been thinking about time a lot lately. I turned 40 this year, and time just keeps getting faster and faster. I read an article about how to slow it down. Well, you know, at least the perception of it. It said to do different things. Learn something new. Go on an adventure. When you’re out of the routine, time seems to pass more slowly. Here’s to new adventures, memories made, and lots of time with those sweet babes.
Wonderful post! We are doing the exact same thing right now. We bought a new home with friends right across the street, much closer to family and the school we want. It’s everything we’ve dreamed of, waited for and prayed about for 12 long years. BUT still… leaving the home that we couldn’t wait to get out of, that has cramped us and stifled us…I can’t describe. I can hear all the laughter of the birthday parties, holidays and family nights. I’m so ready to go, yet homesick for the old place already. I know – I just know – exactly what you mean. Many blessings to you and your family. Such a wonderful post.
What a precious post! May your new home be filled with as many memories, laughs, and blessings as the old one. And even more so!
Be thankful to move! We ‘re living in the house I grew up in, raised my 13 and 9 year old boy in, and I’ll probably be here another 40 years. It’s not an ideal neighborhood but I’ve watched my neighbor’s move and pass away along with my mother. While it would be bittersweet still in ways, I’d give the gift of walking to move! I dream of house not falling apart, where everything works for the most part, and my children can ride down the street without me worrying about them getting ran over! Best of luck to your new memories!
Man you guys are going to make me cry now! We are just a few years behind you with a toddler boy and baby girl, starting to plant our roots. Watching your babies grow up in a few pictures, it just goes by too fast!! Safe travels for you all! I can’t wait to read about your new adventure.
Agggh! Having a good ole blubbery cry up here in Canada! This was a beautiful post – maybe even my favourite blog post ever. Good luck on this new chapter…the adventure will be AWESOME!!
So beautiful! Can’t believe you are moving to nashville. Can I be one of your first clients????? Praying the transition is smooth.
Great, way to make me cry at work!! 😉 Many blessings for you guys on your next adventure!
I knew I’d cry when I read this, I knew you’d mention Chloe and I knew that’d be the part that sealed the deal! The greatest part of life is that it’s what you make it. You guys will make some great memories in your new home and I know all your followers are so excited to be a part of it! Good luck!