Not an easy thing!

So, my mom and stepdad decided to move this year.  They left the Silverwood house and moved to Ghent. It's an incredibly timely and important move for them.  They are both closer to work and don't have to deal with the tunnel anymore.  Plus, no more yardwork!  There were lots of important reasons for them to move.

I love the Silverwood house...See love-of-home posts:  home and home

So their perfectly legitimate reasons didn't make it any easier for me.  I don't blame them for moving, obviously, and I was surprised at how upset I was at the idea of no longer having my "childhood home" to return to every few months.  As I told my mom, who did not like the idea of me being upset of course, it wouldn't matter if they sold it 10 years earlier or 5 years from now, this would be difficult for me anytime!  I kind of looked at it like "this wonderful place was the only constant home I've ever had... moved there when I was 3, it was dad's house for a bit then it was mom's house while I was in elementary, middle, high school, then all through college when I lived in 4 different places in 4 years, then all those summers I spent in Maine, and even when I got my first apartment in Ghent and my shared house in Arlington... that was my Home, the place I could always return to and feel comfortable and safe.

I did get to say goodbye, though, in my own way.  It was the first weekend in March this year.  I was home and I wasn't sure I'd be able to get to back to the house before mom sold it.  As I was just about to leave and doing my regular "walk through the house and look for things I may have left behind", I noticed the living room window.  I've blogged about this window before.  I stood and stared at it for a minute, really taking in the view, the window, everything about it.  And I felt myself starting to cry because I knew in my heart it would be the last time I looked out at that window.  I said goodbye to my mom and fake-out-high-fived my stepdad Rick (it's how we say both hello and goodbye).  The second I got in the car and pulled away from that house for the last time, I burst into tears.  I was a mess but I knew if I stopped, it wouldn't make anything better or easier for anybody, so I kept heading toward Arlington.  I called my mom a few minutes later and cried to her, "It's just so sad!"  She listened but I know a part of her was feeling bad for the changes.  She shouldn't, of course, but that's what moms do.

I'm a big girl.  I'll be fine.  I'll always miss that house.  I love that Silverwood home.  And I love my mom, too, so wherever she is will be home to me.

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Sidenote... part of the moving that weekend was bringing some items from my old childhood to Joy's parents house for Owen.  I gave them my old writing table and my rocking horse. (Charlie Horse.  Yup, that's what we named him).

A couple days ago, I got this picture and it makes me smile every time I look at it:

The look on my sweet O's face on my old horse...


sigh :)

Very Christmas- December 23rd

In 2010, I have loved Coming Home.

Chesapeake is my home. I was born in Norfolk and lived in Portsmouth for the first couple years of my life, but the first house I remember growing up was the one on Silverwood Blvd. I've considered that my Home Base for 25 years. 25 years! I went through primary and elementary school, the awkward middle school years, the fun and sporty high school years... all of it through that front door.

But what's behind the door (and around the corner, and in nearby neighborhoods, and in Virginia Beach neighborhoods)... are my Home family and friends. My family is here. Mom, Dad, Stepdad, Stepmom, younger brothers, stepfamily. My friends are here, a lot of whom have known me since preschool, and they are definitely forever friends. They are the ones who know all my quirks. Some I have known and loved since preschool, some elementary school, and one elementary through college and I was in her wedding.

Sometimes I let the bustle of life sweep me up and I don't keep in touch with my Home family and friends as much as I would like to. But they are always in my heart. The Ones Who Know Me... and love me anyway.

Love.

It's good to be Home.

Dad's Day

Happy Father's Day, Dad!! Love you!

Also, follow this link to more hilarious Dads...

http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/dear-old-tv-dad-paying-respect-to-modern-dads-tv-style--1333

FAMILY!

I got see some of my dad's family this weekend, too... Aunt Martha, Uncle Kevin, cousin Mike, cousin Meg, Dad, Aunt Kathy, Uncle Norm and me!

We went to Aunt Martha's house and had an amazing time just being together. I have the best family.

Look quickly at Aunt Martha's house in New Hartford, NY... quick before she moves to Austin, TX!

Also, look at the YIKES the rental car company gave me:

Great family, Toaster Car.

Le Parents at LeMoyne!

This past weekend, I was in Syracuse, NY with my parents and family for my parents' 35th college reunion. They went to LeMoyne college.

It's such a pretty place... at the top of a hill. "The Heights" as they call it...

Two of my dad's college bands, "Salt Springs" and "Boston Street" had a big reunion concert on Saturday night. Here a two clips of my Dad and his college buddies playing. I AM SO SORRY that you can hear me singing sometimes. A couple glasses of wine and apparently I think I'm part of the band. Oof. I'm clearly no longer a member of WBHS choir! At any rate, enjoy Dad Taylor...

This next one he dedicated to me! "This one goes out to 'Who's that Girl?' Yes, she's my daughter."

Here is what I learned at LeMoyne... my parents were and are still "hotties", my dad can rock out like a mamma jamma (9:00pm-1:30am!), and the class of '75 outpartied me BIG TIME! I was exhausted!!

It was amazing... and I'm so glad I had that experience! Thanks, mom and dad. :)