Moving to North Carolina!

Hello Friends, 

My husband recently took a new job in North Carolina to work for Honda Jets, after working for Lockheed Martin here in Georgia for 16 years.  Yep, Honda car company is making a jet. Check it out here.  The new jet is a private aircraft, highest and best in it's class, a design conceived 40 years ago, and now finally being rolled out for production in Greensboro North Carolina. So, we are a bit exited, and somewhat sad about leaving Atlanta.  We love Atlanta, and have enjoyed our life here, so as you can imagine, mixed emotions for all of us! We have heard nothing but good things about North Carolina and Greensboro, so that makes us feel good about our decision. It is definitely going to be a change of pace from the life we are used to.

"Home is Where the Heart Is"

 “A little happy house is the strongest castle in this whole universe!” 

- Mehmet Murat ildan

“I should say: the house shelters day-dreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace.”  -Gaston Bachelard

“This is terrific. What a gorgeous kitchen. You've decorated it so beautifully. Now you’re going to have to clear all the counters. Vases. Books. Knickknacks. Get rid of all that stuff. I mean, it is just beautiful. Beautiful. I love what you've done with this house. Make sure you put it all away.” ~Real estate agent (p.76)” 

- Dominique Browning

I pull in the driveway, turn off the truck, and let out a breath. It's raining and I don't want to run in and get all wet carrying my bags.  My garage door opener has not worked in...um...forever.  The thing gave out a long time ago, and well, I never got a new one, why? Just never got to it, and I didn't know where to get a new one because it was an old garage door opener. It came with the house when we bought it 14 years ago.  We don't park in the garage anymore, we've outgrown the house and park our cars in the driveway. We complain about the size of the house and how we need more living space, and of course there is the fix-it list a mile long.  Sound familiar? This is the point where I remind myself that we are blessed to be living in this house, many are suffering around the world and in the states, without a home, or struggling to pay a mortgage. People in third world countries have 10 people living in a one room building with a dirt floor. It always puts things in perspective and makes me appreciate what we do have. 

My kids have grown up in this house, our home in a quiet, small neighborhood in the suburbs of Atlanta. Really, it has been a good house and a great neighborhood for our family.  One wonderful thing that I loved is the the elementary bus stop right is right outside the door!  So, many mornings the kids were able to catch the bus, simply by me turning on the porch light to alert the bus driver, yes, were coming!

That door there, the door with the brass handle and knob that used to be shiny and new and now is grubby, with the kick plate that needs to be replaced. There are a world of memories behind that very door. Two of my kids went from babies to pretty much grown up behind this door.  And my caboose, he has known nothing else.  When I open the door in my mind, a flood of wonderful memories come floating out like butterflies. I can see them, recall them, experience them once again.  Our kids growing up, losing teeth, having birthday parties, summer nights on the deck, heading to the bus stop on the first day, Halloween trick or treating ,14 Christmas trees in our great room, playing in the snow. Years of memories, and fun times.  

And our neighborhood, lots of great memories and friends made in our neighborhood.  Best friends, life long friends, friends that are like family. We will always have the memories and stories to tell, of our neighborhood ( oh some funny stories of our neighborhood, my friend Kimberly will know what I mean) and schools.  The best of times.  Usually, it is a move or the big happenings in life that make you reminisce, make you look back on the chapters of your life, and sum them up.  My husband once told me, that when looking back, we should always remember the good times and memories, not the regrets and negative or "bad" things that are there in the corners of your mind. That advise has always stayed with me.  

We don't know anything about the buyers of our home except it's a family with 2 kids. I hope they will be good neighbors, and love the house and neighborhood like we did. When they walk into their new home, they will have a shiny new door handle and kick plate on the front door waiting for them, and a new garage door opener in hand, with a little note on the counter, saying "Welcome Home!". 

It's been a good house, a good home full of the best of memories! 

Wishing you all the best, and a happy home,  Laura