The time has arrived. Only a few short months ago it seemed like this moment was so far away, and for years I had always dreamed that my family and I would finally get the chance to be able to do this.

We are moving.

Not to another state or even another city, just to a new house a bit further into my quaint hometown. And yet, although the new house awaiting our arrival is only five minutes away, I can’t help but look back on all that we are choosing to leave behind. You see, at the age of two I moved into that small, one-floor, three-bedroom house. I grew up there. My whole life is in that house, so how can I just move on without even acknowledging its importance in my life? Almost all of us have experienced that one house that was our one true home. Whether it was for 17 years like mine, or for just a year or two, it is the place we will always cherish and feel nostalgic about. It is the place we reminisce on and recall memories from. It is the place we are thankful for. Ultimately, it is the place we miss. And if you unfortunately have never gotten to experience such a place as this, I hope that one day you too find your true home.

To my Kitchen:

Thank you for all the shared family meals. I am grateful for the holiday feasts, the late night snacks, and the spontaneous baking sessions with my mom. You are where I learned to cook Ramen Noodles to grilled cheese to meatloaf. Thank you for putting up with my messy habits and letting my mom wipe you clean, time and time again. Thank you for allowing the smell of my Dad’s cooking to waft into every crevice of the household. You provided a tabletop for my homework and piles upon piles of mail. Thank you for being my family’s centerpiece for late night conversation and for always providing us with more than just food.

To my Backyard:

I will always miss that sweet smell of summertime. You are where I learned to swing, slide, and run through a sprinkler with wet grass sticking to my toes.You are the place where I truly learned to play backyard baseball and how to properly hold a picnic with ham sandwiches, Doritos, and Capri Suns. Thank you for letting me draw letters and hopscotch squares with chalk all over your patio. Thank you letting us dig your ground up to construct the new pool and for allowing us to attempt a family garden. Most of all, thank you for holding our beloved family dog, the one that I will never stop missing.

To my Bedroom:

Thank you, walls, for letting me repaint you over and over again with my changing phases; I am still sorry for my tween years and for those awful polka dots. You are the one that held my trophies, my posters, my knick-knacks, and my memories. Thank you for not laughing at my karaoke moments or spontaneous dance parties in my pajamas. Thank you for holding the best sleepovers with my friends and for keeping our secrets. Thank you for the times where you provided me comfort and solace when I ran to you tired, lonely, ashamed, embarrassed, stressed, or anywhere in between. I am so sorry for slamming the door and for the tears you watched me cry. I forgive you, ceiling, for the times you would never let me fall asleep-- but thank you for providing the best bed to come home to and for the mornings you watched me snooze until noon. I thank you for taking the crazy journey of life along with me.

To my Bathroom:

Thank you for the bubble baths and showers after a long day. I thank you, mirror, for giving me confidence, even after the times you made me feel horrendous to look at. Thank you for letting me lip sync to you with a brush in hand while the water was running. You watched me grow as I stuck bows in my hair, pulled out each and every baby tooth, put on my first touches of makeup, and got dressed for graduation day. Thank you especially for watching out for me, particularly the times I had those awful stomach viruses.

To my Living room:

You are my Sunday mornings and roasted marshmallows from the fireplace. Thank you for the excitement I felt just to wake up to you on Christmas morning and for holding our hidden presents under the troublesome tree each and every year. You are where the couches comforted me when I felt sick or defeated. You are where the sounds of my dad coming home from work could be heard as he walked over and collapsed into his worn seat. You are where my mom held each child to rock back and forth in her special chair. Thank you for providing us with movies to watch as a family and for a mantle to have every picture taken in front of. Thank you for the prayers with mom before bed and for letting me stay up past my bedtime. Thank you for being the place where we found out mom was pregnant again or the time Dad surprised us with a trip to DisneyWorld. Thank you for bringing my family into a setting where we discussed school, work, drama, and anything on our minds. You constantly brought my family closer together even when we were the farthest apart. I am sorry for the times I took you for granted and walked right past you into my bedroom. Thank you for being there even when I didn’t want you to be.

To my Home:

I hope I never forget that specific smell after coming home from a long vacation. One day your scent will fade away completely from my clothes, my belongings, my life, and I will be left with something new. I don’t want to forget that smell. You have shaped me into who I am. The creaks in your floor, the scrapes in your walls, the peeling paint, and the worn brick all remind me of where I came from. Thank you for providing more than just a shelter to my crazy family and for raising all of us. You helped us to live, in the good and the bad. You watched us cry, rejoice, grow, and learn, and, for that, I am forever grateful. But more than anything, you made us a family, and you will always be home to me. Thanks for everything.