Final Goodbye

Well, this is officially it - my last post from this house. The packers came today and packed everything up, and they moved exceedingly fast. By around 6:00, 4/5 of the house was just bare furniture and boxes stacked to the ceiling. I can't decide if its sad, bittersweet, lonely, or what. I guess probably all of the above.

The only room that really remains intact is the office, which almost feels like an island of normalcy compared to the rest of the house. Every other room is bare - no pictures, no throw-pillows, no lights other than the one on the ceiling...but the office has everything still in place since the packers didn't make it this far (although they will first thing in the morning). Everything is so stripped down you have to whisper in the house just to avoid an echo. Its eerie really. The rest of the house doesn't much feel like the place I've lived the past 3 years.

I'm overcome with sympathy for Nash, who obviously knows big change is happening. He ate this afternoon for the first time in about 36 hours. Bless his heart - its only about to get worse for him.

In any event, no matter what you say about Norfolk, we're sure going to miss this house. I'll miss my office. I'll miss our huge living room. I'll miss going out back and tossing the ball with Nash. I'll miss mowing the lawn and tending to the flower beds. I'll miss waving to the neighbors when I take Nash out. I'll miss knowing what spots to step over on the floor to avoid creaks and waking up Ella. I'll miss sitting on my couch and peering out at the neighbor kids playing in the street through the storm door dad and I installed.

I'll miss the spot where Ella first smiled at me. I'll miss the place where I laid in the floor and prayed the moment I found out Melissa was pregnant. I'll miss they view of the roses out our kitchen windows. I'll even miss the stupid gas stove you have to light with a lighter.

I guess I'll miss a lot of things about this place...but I'll mostly just miss home.

- pac