Thursday, March 11, 2010

A final goodbye

This is my brother Ian and me near the house we grew up. My parents owned an acre about 20 miles outside of town, and had received it from my father's parents, who owned a surrounding 80 acres. Growing up we were free to roam a vast green terrain, mudding up our hands as much as we possibly could. I spent the majority of my childhood there, and was a witness to the changes in the house my parents built there, all the way from the foundation to the remodel my father did before he sold it.
When I was little I always thought it would be cool to live in a neighborhood nearer to town, with trick-or-treaters coming to our door, my father putting Christmas tree lights on the house, and our friends being so much closer. Now that I look back, I realize what a spoiled little thing I was, and I wouldn't change it for anything.
My grandparents have both passed away, and the property they owned is now being sold. My parents are now divorced, and I have only extended family remaining in the beautiful state I grew up in. I'm saddened that our family is losing the property; this has been harder for me than when my father sold our house. I have so many memories playing with our cousins in the forest, running in the huge field across the way, and exploring near the creek. Now all those things will officially be only memories. I wonder how things would be different if my parents were still together. We would probably be coming home for the holidays every year, and hopefully would have held on to at least part of my grandparents' property. I'm a little sad today, and also so grateful for the muddy memories on Daystar Drive.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I always loved your house. It was so cool. I'm so sorry to see it leave your family. To me, it will always be "Chelsi's House"!

Bethany Fegles Photography said...

I'm very sad too. I wish the property wasn't being sold. I said to Dad, "what if you kept it so that all of us cousins could build houses on it and live there?" But the city will only allow one residential house on all of that acreage based on how it's zoned.
It's hard to think about "our life"... all I knew until I was about 20 being in someone else's hands. I think the same thing when I look at the blog of the young couple who own Grandma and Granddad's house now. They've taken out trees and poured concrete slabs and are making a farm store out of the garage... hard to see.

We're so blessed to have been given the childhood we were given. It was so wonderful and rare!! We really were spoiled and had no idea.
I wish I could thank Grandma and Granddad now for giving our parents that beautiful land. What a gift.

I love you and I'm so thankful that we got to grow up next door to each other.
B

Jodi and Jesse said...

I'm sorry Chels. I understand how hard it is to part with some childhood memories. My dad cancelled our home phone number last year and I cried. I'm a loser I know but it was hard. Weird I know.

Leah said...

Oh no! That makes me sad too. I have fond memories of practicing all of our lipsynks in your sweet room off the garage. P.S. I STILL have all the words from Feel the Vibrations memorized!

Hang in there.

Lisa H. said...

sounds like it was a really great place to grow up. saying goodbye has got to suck :(

Lohra said...

Oh man, we have property in Southern Wisconsin I feel the same way about. So far it's still in the family. I'm sorry. These pictures of you when you're young are awesome!