The end of a another chapter

(should have been posted in March)

I am in the mitten for a few days and have been laying my head in a few different homes based on work and social commitments so last night was the first night I stayed at my parents house. And as I was saying goodnight to my mom I realized this was the very last time I would stay here at this house. My house. The house I lived in from 7th grade on.
As soon as I made that realization it kind of overwhelmed me and that shocks me!Anyone that knows me well (or knows my moving history) should know I am firm believer in the concept of "home is where the heart is". I mean, a house is just a house. I have not lived in this house really since leaving for college (in the fall of 1998!). My "room" has been a converted library since I officially moved away ten years ago. (Following college, I did return for a few months, as people do. So my room was back to being my room for a little bit.) But this house was "home" for a very long part of my life. The sounds, smells, and sites are all familiar. And so many things happened in my life (and my family's) while we lived here- as they do.
We returned "home" to Michigan after a couple of not-so-perfect years elsewhere.
I had my first kiss outside the front door.
I broke up with the "love of my life" sitting in the driveway.
I showed up here at 5am when another boy shattered my heart and I just needed to be home.
I threw some (what I thought were sneaky) parties and the nrightbors watched but didn't tell because they knew we were good kids.
We laughed around the table and played games more times than I could ever count.
We discussed major life decisions (colleges, cross country moves, job changes, new babies) all around the kitchen table.
The "winter" tree is lit in Novemeber and doesn't go out until at least March. It embarrasses my mother but a few neighbors know and also appreciate it's wacky wonderfulness.
My parents will be moving into their new home once school gets out in June. Until then they will live with the Dude, Dudette and littlest dude.
I look forward to seeing my parents create a new life in their new home and new(ish) community. I look forward to new memories in their home.

*Note: I did return home one more time, unexpectedly and officially moved my parents out of the house. I watched the moving truck pull away and handed the keys to the new owners while they were at the hospital so Papa could recover.