I could look at my mom's island and see my Memere cutting apples for apple pie and my kids playing playdough early in the morning, I could see myself making my first Lasagna with my friend Sara and even helping my mom pick which countertop we wanted when we remodeled.
The living room and dining room held every family gathering. I can see a Christmas tree in the corner, the Christmas village on the window, and little hands playing with all the pieces. I can picture Christmas with duct tape and large candy bars and celebrating each new babies first Christmas. I can look at the window and see my kids staring out waiting for the first snowflake of winter to fall and I look around and see baby showers filled with those we loved. I can see my sisters and I so excited to get CDs in the mail from a music subscription club and listening very loudly to "Walking on Broken Glass" while our parents were gone and we were supposed to be cleaning the house.
My room was shared with Sheryl when she came home on the weekends from college. I can still remember my excitement when she would come back and sleeping on a futon together because we thought it was a better look than two twin beds. I can look around and see sleepovers with friends and glow in the dark stars on the ceiling. I can see my kids on their bunk beds when we first moved back from Illinois and my Dad at his desk after it became his office.
I can hear the way the hallway squeaks while walking down it. It sounded like home and insured everyone when know when someone woke up in the morning. I can still see myself putting dust spray on the wood floor and sliding around in my sock feet with Jen.
Jen and I once shared the backroom, and I can still see the kitchen I made out of a cardboard box with my mom and dad. I can hear my mom saying "If you go to bed right now, I will tuck you in" and laughing with me because my nightgown was once again on backward and inside out. I can see my Grandpa's old desk with coin banks that moved and a dog figure whose head bobbed up and down.
My parent's old room always seemed elegant in my mind as a child and I can see their big bed and my dad telling us to climb in with my mom to wish her a Happy Mother's day. I can see myself checking my dad's closet, when no one was home, to see if I made the wall of important papers that he cherished and hung up.
Just a glimpse into my Memere's old room and I can see her feet tapping under a blanket and hear her saying "You don't steal, you take a piece of candy".
I can look out the back window and see my swing set in the yard and playing circus with my cousin. I can see us talking about how we could build a roller coaster in the back yard if we tried hard enough. I can see myself playing with friends on the hammock and pretending it was a boat for us and our cabbage patch dolls. I can see forts made on close lines and a picnic table for summer meals. I can see my sister's dressed for prom by the flowering fruit trees.
I can look out the front window and see kickball games and still hear mom's hollering for kids to come home and the sound of the ice cream truck coming down the street.
When I look at the basement I can see my sister painting and allowing me to help in a way that made me feel so grown up and excepted. I can hear the "Dirty Dancing" tape playing while my cousin and I roller skated for hours on end. I can see my friends and I happily playing with the Barbi house my Dad built me. I can see my Grandpa's old room with its western-style doors and big stuffed dog and thinking it was the coolest playroom a Grandparent could have.
The thing I realize though is I am not in our Roysan Street home right now, instead I am sitting in my own home and I can still see all these wonderful memories we had. I can still hear the laughter and picture my kids, my nieces and nephews, my parents, my sisters, and my grandparents. The fear of losing all of this when we closed the door is now gone, it has all come with us, every wonderful memory of those I have loved is still with me today. Those memories were all neatly packed into a corner of my heart and are with me no matter what home I am in or what turn life may take.
So goodbye sweet home, the saying "Home Sweet Home" was truly made for you. You have given us a place of safety, love, joy, and comfort for all these years and we will forever hold this place close to our hearts. We will never forget the memories we have been given and all the friends and family we shared it with on this piece of earth that we called our own. I am so thankful that so much happiness, support, and love could happen in this one place and even more thankful that we can hold it all in our hearts forever.
