Dear little house on 19th St
Here we are, parting ways.
You feel like an integral part of our family...
which makes the parting personal and sad.
You were our first house. Within minutes of stepping inside your front door, we knew you were "the one." We knew there would be a challenge ahead of us, when everything we looked at was going to have to be replaced. But, we chose the challenge and turned you walls (inside and out) into a beautiful new home. We turned every square inch of soil on your lot and turned it into a dream of a yard.
With exhausted eyes, and bursting hearts, we welcomed two babies (and a third one on the way due in October) to your front steps. We walked through your front door, changed from the last time. But, comforting. Your walls were always so comforting!
Late night feedings with newborns, middle of the night wide awakes with toddlers.
Your floors stood witness to sitting up, crawling, walking, running, jumping, and wheely bug racing. And stomping, screaming, and tantrums.
Your front porch was always welcoming with flower pots. Your front yard held neighborhood kids, hopscotch, and snowmen. Your back yard held sky scraping trees, picnics, and hide and seek games. Your walls held birthday parties, family and friends, and most importantly, the building, learning, and love of a family.
A home can quit possibly be one of the most sacred places. Where we learn about the beauty in the small things, quiet comfort, a haven found only at home. You were faithful, warm, and safe. Always welcoming.
Home sweet home,
Thanks for the memories.
**********************
Just to give you a little picture of how much this house means to us, I feel like I should explain how much work we put into it to make it a cozy home.
First we cleaned! We cleaned and cleaned, and hauled some 20 + pick up loads of junk and yard debris to the dump. Then we pulled blackberry bushes by hand until our hands, arms, and legs could not bear another prick. We dug, pulled, and hauled away 12 stumps with a backhoe. We rototilled, leveled, and planted the back yard into grass. When the sun shines on that back yard, you are truly in paradise! It was well worth all the pricks from the half acre of blackberry bushes!
Then we resided and painted the exterior of the house. We lined and insulated the crawl space. We insulated the attic. New carpet was installed. The windows and all doors inside and out were replaced. The interior was repainted. The master bathroom was originally two rooms with a walkway in between. One had a shower and a sink, and the other had a sink and a toilet. We closed up the walkway and made two full bathrooms. Installed new toilets, tile, cabinets, and sinks in all three bathrooms. The laundry room was rearranged so we could have a counter under the window to fold clothes on. The baseboards were replaced and window casings added and painted. The stair railing was replaced. All wood accents were painted white. Light switches and plugins were all replaced. And a new furnace made the winters so much better! Oh boy! Basically it is a brand new house and well....we don't get to enjoy the long term benefits of our hard work. But, a very lucky family will be making memories there very soon!
Just to give you a little picture of how much this house means to us, I feel like I should explain how much work we put into it to make it a cozy home.
First we cleaned! We cleaned and cleaned, and hauled some 20 + pick up loads of junk and yard debris to the dump. Then we pulled blackberry bushes by hand until our hands, arms, and legs could not bear another prick. We dug, pulled, and hauled away 12 stumps with a backhoe. We rototilled, leveled, and planted the back yard into grass. When the sun shines on that back yard, you are truly in paradise! It was well worth all the pricks from the half acre of blackberry bushes!
Then we resided and painted the exterior of the house. We lined and insulated the crawl space. We insulated the attic. New carpet was installed. The windows and all doors inside and out were replaced. The interior was repainted. The master bathroom was originally two rooms with a walkway in between. One had a shower and a sink, and the other had a sink and a toilet. We closed up the walkway and made two full bathrooms. Installed new toilets, tile, cabinets, and sinks in all three bathrooms. The laundry room was rearranged so we could have a counter under the window to fold clothes on. The baseboards were replaced and window casings added and painted. The stair railing was replaced. All wood accents were painted white. Light switches and plugins were all replaced. And a new furnace made the winters so much better! Oh boy! Basically it is a brand new house and well....we don't get to enjoy the long term benefits of our hard work. But, a very lucky family will be making memories there very soon!
The day we moved in.
The day we moved out.
Here are some before and after pictures,
Just a glimpse of the blackberry bushes
Looking back over where the blackberries used to be.
The deck BEFORE!
AFTER!
Looking from the back of the property toward the house. BEFORE!
AFTER!
The view of the back.
Fire pit area BEFORE!
AFTER!
Entryway BEFORE!
Entryway and living room AFTER!
Guest Bathroom BEFORE!
AFTER!
Laundry room BEFORE!
Laundry room AFTER!
Kitchen BEFORE!
Kitchen AFTER!
Dinning room BEFORE!
AFTER!
Master bathroom BEFORE!
Master bathroom sink area AFTER!
(The lighting is terrible in this picture...but its all I've got)
(The lighting is terrible in this picture...but its all I've got)
And master shower After!
Thank you little house for all your memories.
We will forever hold you close to our heart!
We will forever hold you close to our heart!
2 comments:
ok now I am sitting at work crying! You had it so beautiful and you filled it with so much love!
Wonderful post Suz, you truely will have many memories of your house on 19th. You both worked so hard to make the house a "home". The physical changes are astounding! I had forgotten how bad it looked when you moved in, you were so excited to have a place of your own. The yard doesn't even look like the same yard, the bathrooms are amazing, the deck is beautiful, and all the hard work paid off in the end.
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