For the Giles Family

One of the things I did before moving, was compile somewhat of a history of our house to pass on to the Giles family.  I couldn't stand the thought of our life there just disappearing.  It actually took me quite a lot of time to do, but it was so important to me.  On the day we turned the house over to them, I left these flowers with a letter and a flash drive with pictures of the house during our 11 years there.  Here is the letter:

Dear Giles Family,

We built this house and moved into it in 2005 with our three kids.  Now, after 11 years, we are leaving (with 8 kids now).  We have loved our years in this house, and leaving is so hard.  But, as our family has grown, we decided we need something bigger.  So a year ago, we bought a 2 acre lot just a mile from here, and we are ready to start building our new dream home.  (In the meantime, while we build, we are renting a home just 2 miles from here).  

I knew leaving would be hard, but I didn’t realize just how hard.  The weekend we signed on your offer, I cried every minute for 3 days straight.  I told my husband that I just couldn’t leave, and I Googled “How to get out of a signed real estate offer”.  The thought of leaving my home where I had created so many memories, was tearing my heart out.  They say there are stages of grief – denial being one of them.  I was in denial and my mind was racing over how to be able to just stay.  But, once I got past that, I began to come to grips with the fact that we were leaving, and that this home would be yours soon.  Packing up our belongings was done through tear filled eyes, but I did it.  

When we got the offer on our house, I told the kids to make bucket lists of what they wanted to do in our house before we move. We spent the last few weeks checking things off.  One night we tackled 7 year old Nate's list, which included staying up till 1:00am having a party (eating treats, playing outdoor night games, and playing family games indoors).  We soaked up every last minute we had here, doing all the things we love (including a final family fire pit just last night).  

I was not prepared for the emotions that would come with the reality of having to leave. How do you walk away from the place that has held the lives of your family, without your heart feeling like it is breaking?  One night just last week, my 10 year old Aaron was crying about leaving all the memories.  I explained to him that this house was where we had made the memories, but this house doesn’t get to keep them.  The memories are ours to take with us.  I’ve had to remind myself of that more than once through this moving process.  And while the memories are ours to take, I don’t want them to leave the home when we leave.  We have a history in this house, and the house itself also has a history.  Once we leave, no one will know that history.  No one will remember what the kitchen used to look like before we remodeled it.  Or know how tiny the bushes and trees were when we first planted them.  I couldn’t bear the thought of all that dying when we leave.  So I decided I wanted to pass that history on to you, so it could live on.  Maybe it’s because I’m such an emotional wreck over leaving, but the idea of passing on our memories to you helped me cope better with leaving.  Knowing that you would know about the “other life” this house has lived, made leaving a bit easier.  (Power Point on the flash drive)

I’m sad that our life here is done.  But, I’m excited for you to make it your home and make your own memories.  It’s a great house.  It’s a great backyard.  It’s a great neighborhood.  It’s a perfect place for a family.  I hope you love it.  I hope it becomes embedded in your heart, like it has in ours.  

We aren’t going far, so if you need help with anything, please just call us.  We would love to help out (whether it’s help raking up the millions of leaves in the Fall, pruning the hundreds of bushes, canning the tomatoes from the garden into salsa, turning the fruit on the trees into jam, figuring out the sprinkler system, or hanging the Christmas lights on the roof).  If you need advice on schools, or tips of our favorite things to do in the area,....anything, we are happy to help. 

From,

Karen and Scott, Savannah (14), Joshua (13), Sara (11), Aaron (10), Nate (7), Owen (5), Kate (3), and Gabe (5 months)

Our new address 4438 W Prickly Pear Drive, Eagle.  Scott’s cell 841-2604, Karen’s cell 901-1483.  Email smhowell54@hotmail.com.

PS  I left a container of plum freezer jam in the freezer in the pantry for you.  It was made from the plums on the tree in the front yard.