So far, 2010 has held alot of "biggies" for me . . . turning 62 . . . getting my "Uncle Sam" check . . . celebrating 40 years with hubby . . . graduation of the oldest in the 4th generation . . . wedding of the baby of the 3rd generation . . . then, today . . .
My brother and I sold our parents' home -- the place where we grew up -- where we felt safe and loved -- where we played hide & seek; broke lamps; buried beloved animals; wore out spots of grass where the bases were playing ball; had sleep overs (while we watched out the window when the high school neighbor come in from her dates. so sorry "L"); learned to read our Bible and talk to Jesus; learned the words to "In the Garden" as Daddy sang us to sleep while he rocked us in the old green platform rocker; got my arm caught in the wringer washer; brother fell into a neighbor's sewer hole after it had rained when their house was being built--drowned--was brought back to life because of Daddy's training and the sweet grace of our dear Lord. Oh, I could go on and on and on.
But after all the "growing up" memories, came the time we brought home those who were to be our spouses, our new babies, then our grandbabies; finally, where we said "Goodbye" to Mama and where Daddy took his last breath.
This weekend brought the time to finally clean out and move on. As I sat today in the lawyer's office signing all the papers, I was reminded of something Daddy had said to me 2 years after Mama went home ~~ "At the cemetary today, I finally realized that your Mama wasn't coming back and wouldn't if she could. Now, I have to learn to go on without her." I thought after 16 years without Mama and 6 without Daddy, I had learned to go on, too. But, this has been harder than I thought it would be.
We know (and were told often) that it was time ~~ "they're not coming back." We didn't have the time to care for our homes and families and our old home, too. But knowing it and wanting to do it are really two different things when it comes down to actually going through the process. As hard as it is, we, also, know a house setting empty doesn't last. It needs to hear laughter lifting its rafters, feel tears falling on its floors, have hands to clean it and hearts to love it. And I think that is what it got again today ~ someone who seems to love it as much as our parents did and we do. For that I am so grateful ~~ Thank you, dear Jesus, for answered prayers. Thank you, dear "S" family for wanting to make it what it once was . . . a place to come home to . . .
Oooooh, this is soooo sad! My daddy died 10 years ago and mama stayed in the house my brother and I grew up in until about 2 years ago, when she went to live with my brother. I was happy it happened this way, 'cuz I never wanted to clean out my mama and daddy's stuff AFTER they were gone...it would have been too much to bear in that house where I grew up! It was still painful to sell the house, but now she's safe with my brother to watch over her:) Love your post!
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