I have lived in the same house on Glamorgan Lane for 21 years, 252 months, 1,095 weeks, 7,665 days, and 183,960 hours.

This month, this week, today, I have to say goodbye, and I did not realize how difficult that was until it actually happened. This was where I was brought home Feb. 8, 1995.

This was a house of many firsts, a house that I would never trade for the world. The memories made and shared will be the best ones of my life.

Standing in the front yard so many years ago, my brother and I met our across-the-street neighbors, who later became like our own family. We spent countless summers playing in the yard, running through the sprinklers, and selling lemonade to our other neighbors.

This house is where I brought home my first serious boyfriend and had my first heartbreak. It is where I cried because I felt unloved and betrayed from friends. It was the safe place that no one could hurt me because it was mine.

I have to say goodbye to the only home I know and move to a foreign home that I will only know for breaks and eventually when I come home for family celebrations.

Though it is sad to say goodbye to something that created who you are today, I am excited for the family who will move in once we leave and create memories like we have. This house has so much to offer, so, to the family who will live here after me, do not take these suggestions lightly.

Love unconditionally. This house is full of love, and though my brother and I did not get along 100 percent of the time, we still love each other. My parents created an atmosphere in this house that only made you love one another.

Laugh at the silly things. Along with the love, laughter fills the walls of this house, we laughed so hard we cried. This home deserves constant laughter and jokes every day.

Play. Go outside, meet your neighbors, play night games, run through the sprinkler. This house saw many imaginary friends, Polly Pockets, G.I. Joes, Barbie dolls, Beanie Babies, Legos, hula hoops, and chalk. Having fun and getting out to play will be the only way to appreciate this home.

It sounds silly how attached you can be to a home. Think of all your memories, all of the things that happened to you.

I lost my first tooth in my kitchen, where did you lose yours?

I had my first injury walking into a table in my parents' room (and many others after this), where was yours?

I said my first goodbye to a friend moving away at the front door. Where was your first goodbye?

I found out that I got into college in my driveway, where did you find out?

All of my firsts were here, in this home. We will have firsts in our new home, and the family after us will have firsts here as well, but this was my first and now this is my first goodbye to a home.