This old house

To the house I thought was too small,

When I first saw you, I looked past the outdated curtains, dated pink bathroom, and musty smell. I giggled over original hard wood floors and the huge kitchen. I had my doubts that you would be the "one". I was unsure of the too small backyard and the one less bathroom we hoped for. But we were on a super tight time frame, so we signed papers and added a new key to our key ring.

The first time it was just you and me was the day after you became ours. I stood in the living room smelling that old house smell and couldn't wait to tear up the carpets and paint walls. I was making a honey-do-list for my soon to be husband and prayed we would survive all the big projects that needed done.

I stood in each room making design plans and paint colors. I happily said goodbye to the pink bathroom and old windows. I didn't know, the house I thought was too small, that you would hold so many memories within your walls.

The few weeks of fixing up were quick and crazy. I was determined not to miss out first Christmas with you and gave my husband an insane deadline for us to finish. We moved in a few days shy of Christmas and I unpacked Christmas decorations at 2am and decorated our first charlie brown style tree. You've held seven Christmas trees since then.

You were the placed we landed after our wedding. We came home at 3am to our second Christmas tree and opened wedding cards and gifts beneath it's lights.

Since we first painted your walls, they've been repainted to match new designs as we brought home both our babies to the house I thought was too small. These walls know the hours we spent with our colic daughter and late night nursing son. Your floors carry the foot prints of their first steps and spilled milk and squeak and those certain spots I avoid when leaving the room of a sleeping babe.

The big kitchen has seen many many pancakes and burnt dinners. It's seen laughter over wine and flying baby food. Your doors have been slammed during fights and slowly opened giving apologies and love.

That backyard I thought was too small has been reinvented to fit a brick patio for a playhouse and green grass I swoon over. Your backyard has taken on summer pools and winter fire pits.

So this old house I thought was too small...I was so wrong about you. We've been through ups and downs. You haven't always been nice to my husband as he has fixed pipes at midnight and the a/c in the mist of summer heat. But you hold all the memories I may not always remember. I'm not sure how many more Christmas trees you'll have in your window but know I have loved my journey with you. We aren't parting anytime soon but know when that last box leaves on moving day, I'll stand alone in your empty living room and thank you.

Thank you for all you gave my family. Thank you for the memories and time spent under your room. I'll never forget how important you are to my husband and how I was so wrong when I doubted you were the perfect house. Because I've learned the size of your living room doesn't matter. We've grown as a family here and are working hard to be the best we can. 

You may not be the mansion on the block but our love that fills your walls is bigger then I'll ever need.

Love, Leah