Home is where the heart is

As our real estate agent put the "for sale" sign on our yard and the lockbox on our door, it started becoming more of a reality.  We are selling our first home.  Well, technically it is our second house, but this is the house that became home after Jimmy and I got married.  Our first house was nice, but we never felt settled in, it was always a place we would go for rest and shelter but it was never home.  However, this house is where we got comfortable.  Where we imagined having children, a houseful of guests, a retreat from the world and then experiencing it better than we imagined.  We love this house, we love everything about it: the huge yard where we spent hours playing whiffle ball; the enclosed patio where we would watch superbowl games, eat crawfish on the floor, or carve pumpkins; the updated kitchen where we cooked huge Thanksgiving dinners, baked homemade goods for bridal showers, and made dumplings for new years; and more recently, the beautifully painted nursery where we've spent countless hours nursing, reading books, and rolling around laughing and playing peekaboo.  So, why sell a home you love so much?  Because I love my parents more.

This past year has been probably one of the toughest years for my parents since I was a child.  My mom's health has deteriorated, my parents lost both the stores, and they lost their house.  We offered for them to move into our home but they did not want to.  They did not want to lose their freedom and they did not want to encroach into our space.  I love our home but it does not fit my parents, so we are looking for a new home.  I am so thankful to hubby for being so patient, gracious, and willing to let my parents move in with us.  As we start looking for a new home, it has reminded me that no matter how much I love our home or get obsessed with finding the right home, ultimately, our true home is in Heaven.

Pictures of EV's beautiful mural: