We all have a place.
A place that knows our face. A place that knows our
voice. A place that has watched us grow. A place
that removes all frustration, sorrow, fears, doubt, or feelings of
inadequacy. A place that doesn't judge us for our wrong doings, but welcomes us
with open arms. A place that only takes a pure image in our mind to lift our
spirits.
We all have a place.
A
place that holds our most cherished memories. A place that has helped defines
who we are. A place that we will forever hold dear to our hearts.
This
place for me is HOME.
In 1 week my parents will be driving away
from my childhood home of 22 years. The mint green home with white
trim will become a small image in their rear view mirror as they travel down
that long driveway for the last time. The home will then disappear from their
sight, but the memories this home has made for their family will remain large
in their hearts forever.
I may never see, nor step foot in this home
again, but I will never forget:
· Raising
pigs, chickens, cows, horses, lambs, kitties, and puppies at this home
· Catching
crawdads, building forts, and sleeping outside on the trampoline with neighbors.
· Picking
green beans from the garden in the scorching summer sun.
· Playing house and picking wild flowers from the fields for table vases.
· Flying high in the air on the swing that hung from the branch of the Oak Tree.
· Playing wiffle ball with my brother which ended up in, who can hit the other person the
hardest with the ball.
· Sleeping on the floor of the bedroom my oldest sister and I shared since apparently I tried
to "strangle" her at night in the bed we shared :/.
· Taking
walks with my parents down to “Coloma”
· Running
through the sprinklers since we couldn’t ever convince my parents to buy a pool,
and we didn’t want to ask the neighbors if we could swim everyday...even though we pretty
much did. Thank you Tyler family :)
· Acorn
Fights
· Stacking
fire wood in 105 degree weather
· Watching
my dad stop his wood working projects in the barn to wave and greet us kids as we drove up the driveway.
· Learning
to drive the riding lawn mower and develop a LOVE for mowing (Yes, I would love
to mow your lawn.
· Crashing
my brother’s car into the fence while "teaching" my cousin how to drive a stick
shift.
· Always
greeting my mom in the kitchen with her apron on as she was always making us
something delicious to eat.
The list could go on forever, but some of
the most treasured memories that this home gave me are:
· Saying
“I Do” to the love of my life in the fields of this home.
· Asking
my Lord, God, and Savior into my heart on the floral couch in the living room
with my Mom.
· Watching
my siblings and I bring our husbands, wives, and children to this home so they
could create their own cherished memories as we had.
It is sad to see this beloved place go however,
I cannot be more excited for this next journey in my parents lives. I hope and
pray that my children can look back on their lives and the memories we make in
our home and have such wonderful and heart filling things to say as I do.
-Tess
