2225 N. James…. You’ve been so good to us!
All 4 of us have so many wonderful memories in this house, but I have just a few extra. I am so glad to have moved to our new house that is so perfect for our family, but that doesn’t mean I won’t miss so many things about the old one. Not only did my grandparents own this house and rent it out to me while I was in college, but I also had 4 amazing roommates during those years! This house hosted countless parties, was the place where lots of bad (and quite a few good) decisions were made in my younger years, facilitated lots of girl fights, and was always a crash pad for anyone who needed it. Oh the stories this house could tell….
And then came the next phase – marriage and family! The “spare bedroom” (which was Alyssa and then Jessica’s room, and later became Huddy’s room) was the perfect spot for wedding planning and preparations. My mom and I spent hours and hours on the floor in that room making bouquets and boutineers, putting together center pieces, planning out decorations and so much more! The other bedroom (which was Mandie’s and then Mallorie’s room… and later became Barr’s) was the landing ground for all of our shower and wedding gifts until we were able to put them all away. When all of those hours of planning, crafting, and creating were done and the wedding was over…. and all of the wonderful gifts we received had found their places, this was the first house we lived in as a married couple (with our precious puppies of course). We did numerous home projects and upgrades and worked hard to make everything perfect for us and our lives together!
After some time passed and we got settled in to our home, we learned we would be parents to a baby boy! We spent so much time making sure the nursery would be just perfect for him! Then, in July of 2014 we brought home baby #1, Barrett James Lively. I can still picture the front porch and mailbox decorated by our friends and family with balloons and streamers welcoming Barrett to his home!
Over the next year or two we somehow survived the ups and downs, trials, difficulties, and joys of being first time parents. Nearly all of Barrett’s “firsts” took place in this house. This is where he learned to roll over, talk and walk. His first word “dada” was said in the living room of this house where we spent so much time. This is where we sat on the bathroom floor with him when he was potty-training. This where we snuggled and read books. This is where he learned to ride a bike. His first Holidays were celebrated in this house. I was here, in this house when I got impatient and put my wedding ring on too soon after Barrett was born and had to go to the emergency room and have it cut off because it was so tight.
A while later we decided all of the exhaustion was worth the work with baby #1 and we should do it all over again! So, soon we learned we would have a baby girl. Again, we spent lots of time getting Hudsyn’s room absolutely perfect for her. Alone, I spent close to 10 hours painting her walls and we made sure every little thing was in exactly the right place. In September of 2016 we brought baby #2 – Hudsyn Rae Lively home to this house! Again.. our friends and family outdid themselves decorating he porch and mailbox for her arrival. And again, so many firsts were in this house! Hudsyn’s first rolls, crawls, and steps; her first, second, and third surgeries. Her actual first word – “mama!” Her first holidays and birthday – they all took place in this house!
I dealt with the struggles of postpartum depression and learning to care for a cleft-affected baby in this house! It was my safe place when, because of the depression, I felt like my whole world was crashing down around me. It was “home.” It was the only place we wanted to be when we got back to town after Hudsyn’s surgeries. This was truly our safe haven for the last several years.
We’ve spent countless hours playing in the living room floor, riding bikes in the driveway, racing in the front yard, doing puzzles in Barrett’s room, playing babies in Hudsyn’s room, and SO much more!
There are so many memories and funny stories associated with this house – I couldn’t even begin to list them all; however we will never forget them!
So much has changed in this house from the time I moved in 9 years ago, but every project, every upgrade, and every step forward have been so much fun – no matter how stressful. 🙂
Not long ago, when I was reading up on “packing tips and tricks” and other moving stuff, (yes, I know I’m weird) I came across the blog of a woman who had to let go of a home that had been a constant in her life for many years. One line in her blog post really stood out to me. She said “We have to remember we have lost the vessel, not the memories.” This is so true and has been really helpful to me throughout our move! Although we will not be living in this house anymore, we will always have the memories that were made here! And I hope this house is as wonderful for the next family as it has been for ours!