Moving On...

Nick and I often spend the winter months in hibernation...okay, so we call it tax season, but it feels like we hibernate from the rest of the world.  Usually, April 15th passes and we begin to settle back into a routine, get busy with Spring projects and summer vacations.  We truly take a deep breath because the heaviness of January to April is pretty stressful.   I guess we thought juggling two crazy schedules wasn't enough, so we put our house on the market in March. Lucky for us, we sold the house quickly, which means we could start exploring our next option.  However, we closed April 19th, which meant that "deep breath we usually take" was more like a quick gasp and we began the process of moving.  While part of me was extremely excited to start the next step in our journey as a family, it really caused me to reflect on what a great home 5499 Lacy Court has been to us.

 10 Years of memories are captured in that 1,300 square foot house.  Nick and I bought this house when we were engaged.  Nick moved in the summer before our wedding and I joined him after our wedding in September 2003.  I remember one summer, Nick's family came and we crammed nine of us in that house.  It was absolutely insane, people sleeping literally everywhere...but it's the kind of stuff memories are made of.  

We brought Ali home in August of 2007.  We had no idea what to do with her. I will never forget Nick hiding in the office after our first night with her. One of us had to hold her the entire first night and Nick wondered what in the world we had gotten into.  One year later, we celebrated her first birthday in our garage. It was August and hot and crowded, but I loved the thought of having her first party at home.   Nick and I made the choice to hire someone to come into our home to take care of Ali (and eventually Brock, too) when I went back to work.  I frequently tell people that I could not work with the peace of mind I have without the help of Ms. Sarah Fair! She's is very much a part of our memories in that house...she's become a member of our family!

Nick started a business in that house. Him and my dad formed Sponsel CPA Group in the fall of 2009 and he spent the first two weeks working out of our house.  I finally called my Dad and begged him to get an office lease signed! Nick was not built to work for home....he was driving me nuts!

Brock followed in the August of 2010.  We had just moved Ali into a big girl bed and new room.  I had a scheduled C-Section with Brock, so it was a very organized process. I remember putting Ali to bed on August 24, 2010 and crying because I knew everything in her world was about to change and our family was expanding.   We were a little more experienced at the whole parent thing the second time around, but it still brought its delightful challenges.

Our kids have become best friends in that small house...they just don't know it yet. They trashed the living room with their toys numerous times each day.    With each birthday and holiday, we quickly came to the distinct realization that we had outgrown our starter home. 

I quit inviting my sister in law over because her highly organized state of mind went crazy the minute she stepped through the door. She tried to hide it, but I'm certain the thought was, this place is a mess!  As hard as I tried to keep things picked up and organized, there was generally something out of order.  I would like to disclaim that if she would stop by around 7am or 10pm, the house looked pretty good! 

Simply put...I love that house.  I love every cramped, messy, crazy moment we shared. We have had more pizza nights at the kitchen table than I can count.  I have learned to be a wife and mother in the house and I know those lessons will continue for decades to come...but it all started there.  The last night we spent in that house was April 18, 2013.  We prayed as a family in the living room before the kids went to bed. We thanked God for the memories and for blessing us beyond measure.  Most importantly, we prayed that God would guide our next steps.  

We are building a new home and looking forward to the memories we will make there.  For the meantime, we have jumped back ten years and I officially live in my parents house again...this time with the addition of a husband and two kids.  I think my parents might regret the open invitation, but it will go fast and to steal an earlier line...this is the stuff memories are made of!