It Just Takes Time

I was getting ready to blow-dry Shug's hair tonight after her bath, and she plopped down on the ground in front of me with a daydreamy look on her face. "Mama", she began, "Mama, I miss the old house. It was just so... cozy, and I miss it". I pulled her up into my lap and snuggled her close. "Sometimes I miss it, too", I admitted. Then we talked for a little bit about what she thought she missed most about it. She couldn't pin it down exactly, but I think - after listening to her for a bit - I think I know what she means. Guess what, Shug, I feel the same way.

Every once in a while, I look at photos from the five years we lived in our previous home and find myself looking at the rooms in the background. It's funny, because it's not like the house was ever really decorated. It was comfortably furnished, but the years we lived there were busy years, and I didn't spend much time or money on it. It was a great house, but not because it had fabulous interior design or because the rooms were drop dead. It had great light, high ceilings, and plenty of room, but the physical features of the house are not what we miss. What really makes me miss that house a little is all of the memories we made in it.



The kitchen, especially.

It was never even painted, for pity's sake, but I have such a warm place in my heart for that boring, builder-grade, cookie cutter kitchen :)

We celebrated birthdays in it :)

We had Thanksgiving dinners in it (that's Mom in the pink!)...

Made gingerbread houses (that's Sissy)...

Threw wedding showers...

Made messes...

With all our hearts...

Punkin and Little Dude spent their babyhood there...

It was our art room...

And our first classroom...

It was the heart of our home for almost five years...

So, Shug, sometimes I miss it, too. See, I love Home, and I really don't do well when I don't feel like Home is established and familiar and cozy. I think maybe I've been trying to hurry up and do as much as I can to this new house to try to make it Home more quickly. Paint, curtains, trim... all those things are nice and I'm thankful we can have them, but... they won't make this house Home. That just takes love, and learning, and smiles, and birthdays, and silly faces, and messes, and - time. It's coming along, though. You'll see. Before we know it, this house will be the best one, yet.