This tender thankful time

This wonderful shot of our house popped up in my Facebook memories…  and gave me pause.  I love this place and I love this shot… and I had to admit I’m gonna' be a little sad to leave this old Victorian beauty when hubby gets the rescue house across the road rehabbed and ready for us.  I gave space to the moment and remembered hard good-byes to another beautiful home. 

It was an amazing house that my man built when we were newlyweds and where we raised our kids and a couple dozen others.  We couldn’t imagine ever leaving that place.

Then there was the summer in the log bunkhouse that he had designed and built with reclaimed barn timbers…

And the three years we got to live in the Christmas cabin… Oh, my!

More Facebook memories surfaced from exactly eight years ago as we drove away from that amazing Christmas tree farm that the new owners were transforming into a horse ranch.  Farewell, Hidden Hollows.

I read the comments from friends…  as if I weren’t already emotional enough.

Like neighbor Arlene:  I will always have fond memories of those several years that you opened early for our family to come and get a Christmas tree. 

And “little” Samuel who was featured on TV-5’s Take Five decades ago.  I think he was five years old when Dick Fabian interviewed him as he and his dad cut down their Christmas tree.  Grown-up Sam reminisced:  Many of my most treasured memories were made at that place. But the truth is that it was never the place that made those memories, it was you and Bob. Thank you for making us all feel at home.

 

My long-lost best friend from childhood chimed in: I'm glad I got to see it with you and your mom several years ago. It is etched in my memory as are our childhood years! Blessings on the new chapter of your lives.

So in that moment of melancholy today I thought about the fact that if we hadn't left that other beloved house, we wouldn't have come here.

I am so grateful for all the memories.

And I look forward to making a few more.

This is a tender thankful Thursday.