Was it always just a house or did we make it a home?

Was it always just a house or did we make it a home?? I like to think we made it a home full of cherished memories that will warm our hearts for years! We built our current home in 2006. It was such an exciting time for us! We closed on my 30th birthday. What a birthday present!! Our daughter was only a year old. This house is the only home she remembers. We moved to Evansville when she was 4 months old and lived in a rental house for a year.Tori, our beloved mutt, had a new yard to investigate and sidewalks to be walked on!

Some of my most favorite memories are of an excited toddler running into the kitchen to let us know she gone on the potty. I was so happy for her but also busy at the time and didn't check the potty. Later on that evening, I found the poop in her little potty!! What a big deal for a sweet girl who refused to poop on the potty!!

Or there was the time when she was around 3 or so and offered us money for our lights. Ha!! We always told her to turn the lights off after she left a room. We were trying to teach her that electricity cost money. She looked so cute, standing there with a quarter in her hand. All I could do was laugh.

We celebrated so many Christmas mornings here. One year, Molli came running down the hallway and exclaimed, "Mommy you must have been a bad girl, because Santa didn't bring you anything!" After that Christmas, Matt and I decided we needed to start buying gifts for each other.

Tori always loved receiving presents. She would pout until it was her turn to open something up. That dog had personality! We played so many games of hide and seek thru the years!! Yes, our dog loved to play hide and seek! She was a character!! It will soon be a year when we made the hard decision to send our girl over the Rainbow Bridge. I always wanted to have her cremated just in case we ever moved. Little did I know that God had bigger plans for us and a move was right around the corner. So glad we made the decision to have her creamted so that she will forever be with us!!

There will always be the memories of us hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas with our extended families! Our garage was full of love and laughter. I am so happy that we were able to host both families last year!! As I sit here surrounded by boxes, I smile and know this home will always have a special place in my heart. So yes, this has always been a home not just a house! Best wishes to the new owners and all the memories they will create!