"Our house, in the middle of the street "

I remember the first time I walked through the model home, I fell in love but didn't really think it could be ours. This was a Dream House and packing up the first place we'd lived outside our parents homes to move in was almost too good to be true. We had followed the progress each day, walking the construction site and taking pictures as it turned into a house. Its just a building but with each nail and wall going up I felt hopeful for the life I believed we'd live inside it. I decorated it with enthusiasm and this was way before Pinterest. Many trips to Ikea and Lowes later we had a home that reflected all of our tastes. My 80's paint splattered office, my sons space themed room with the spray painted ceiling, the movie room,the nursery with the barn animal theme, my daughters tie-dyed room and the bathroom with all three of their handprints smushed across the wall. It had turned into Home. Each Christmas party and BBQ, birthday party and sleepover,first day of school and learning to swim in our pool made it a part of our family. Now as I'm preparing to leave this house I see things differently. As I walk up the stairs I see the hole in the wall that was made when my ex husband was moving out his half of the furniture. I see so many holes from angry fights when his temper got the best of him. I see projects that were never finished and it feels like hope became a deflated balloon. Dustbunnies and dirty hand prints around a massive pile of boxes as we wait to move to the next building. As I wake on this last Monday morning I'm not even sure where we're going but I do know this...where ever it is will be Home.