Home Again?

Time's are a-changing, yes sirree. My parents' house in under contract and they are to close on the 25th of this month. I have such mixed feelings about this whole change, which I never really expected to have, being that I'm a *cough* 30 year old with a family of her own but...bare with me as I try to explain my feelings.

My parents are entering a new stage in their lives. They have an empty nest as my youngest brother is going to graduate college soon and, by the sound of things, will be moving to one coast or the other (boo, hiss). They are both getting into their "golden years" and my dad doesn't want the upkeep of their acre of land. For my mom, it was either a new house or a new career. Since they don't want to move out of their smallish town for the big city, a new house was more attainable, especially since the perils of the housing market haven't hit their area as hard as others.

That said, they put the house on the market at a very reasonable price and were under contract in about 90 days. They are building a brand new house about 5 miles from where the current house is, in a subdivision. We haven't lived in a real subdivision since I was 5 years old. Big changes for them (and me). The house will not be done until about September, so they will be living in their 14' trailer at a local campground for a few months. Before you all start feeling too bad for them, they will have air conditioning, TV and a DVD player. The only challenge is going to be accommodating two grown dogs.

This brings back memories for me because when we first moved to Colorado from dreadful Michigan (sorry Michiganders but you know it's true) we lived in an eight foot pop-up camper at the local KOA while our house was being manufactured. I have a very clear recollection of watching our house come down the road while we were having dinner at Burger King.

My parents have been in that house since late 1993! It has been a wonderful house for us, filled with memories. Most will come with us to the new house, but certainly, some will stay behind. The girls & I recently visited the house for the last time before the move. As we pulled up, I noticed that the trademark "MC" wasn't on the garage. Tears came to my eyes. That logo has been on every house we've lived in since I was born. It was official then, they were moving. Helping my mom pack up all the knick knacks and pictures was hard for me too, but I am also looking forward to seeing how they will be displayed in the new house. I will miss the soon-to-be old house. The peacefulness of not having neighbors close by, the breathtaking mountain views. The current house was the first place that I called home and will always be considered that in my mind.

For years, my parents' house was, in my mind, my "home" too. Things were rocky in my life and a series of moves didn't make me feel that a home of my own had been established. On more than one occasion, I have fled to my "home" when things were bad or tough and magically, everything seemed better there. It was like another realm, another dimension. The move couldn't have come at a better time for me, personally, because for the first time, I finally feel that I have a "home" of my own. I don't know when or how things changed, but I feel established, safe and secure where we are now and I need less of a refuge somewhere else. I will say that this past year has been the best to date in terms of my marriage. I think all of the kinks have finally been ironed out. Praise be!

I do yearn for a house (not home), in the physical sense, of my own. I would love to create a place that my own children can come to some day, to seek refuge, love and advice. My parents have done a wonderful job of building both a house and a home and it is my sincerest hope to do that same some day in the near future.

Someday, I will truly come home again.