Well, I have my son beside me fast asleep, my daughter snoring to the other side and a husband who is still tossing around a bit to get settled and now I have one last chance to take in this old place. Oh the memories that this place has lent itself too. From happiness to suprise, sadness to grief each part of this house tells a story. The front room is where I spent countless hours rocking, walking and singing my dear sweet Sydney to sleep. The dining room is where we took a picture of our son only 5 months old holding his first turkey leg (for posterity only, the leg was as big as his arm). The basement TV room was where Ehren spent many a day cuddled in his Babci’s arms while Sydney cried relentlessly in my arms upstairs. It is amazing to me now as I look back on all the morter and cement that this place is so hard to leave behind.

All signs are leading to us having made the right decision, the new school has been fantastic, the house is beautiful, the backyard is already being prepared for many a weekend visitor and it all seems so right. But today while Sydney took charge of the video camera and went around the house taping things as she saw them, I quickly jumped back 35 years or so to the old giggly movie camera my father had taping me taking my first steps along the side of the house. I felt the house today. I thanked the house today. I leave a piece of my heart behind with this house tonight. I hope that for Sydney and Ehren (especially Sydney) that this move will help them in the future. I hope that all the opportunities that we are unable to have here will happen in the new house. I hope for all the things you wish for any children. I wish for Sydney to be happy.

So I bid a fond farewell to the house that I was raised in, the house that gave me such warm shelter, the place that helped me become the person I am today. I draw strength from knowing that as a family we will be able to overcome all the anxiety over new surroundings. I still will shed a tear but I have my life of memories within me and I hope to pass on the strength that my parents instilled in me into my children. For heavens sake if my father could leave all of his family behind and come to a foreign country not knowing the language or the culture than surely I can leave this house behind and only be 20 minutes away from those closest to me.