Goodbye, House

Tomorrow morning we sign this old house over to a cute and excited young couple.  Nine years ago we were that excited young couple.  We bought it from a guy who liked cats, cycling and murals.  (I'm very irritated that I can't find the picture of the mural that was in the kids' room.  Wolves and mountains and a sunset and a Christ figure and blood and a kid in a cowboy hat!  I REALLY need to find that picture.)  Naive us thought some sanding and painting was all this house needed.

Well....

We have painted EVERY paintable surface in this house, most more than once.  New roof, windows, electric, plumbing, bathroom, shed, landscaping, steps, sewer line, floors, countertops....I'm sure there's more.  One tree fell on it (shortly after we replaced the roof, of course) and we paid THOUSANDS of dollars to cut down 4 trees that died.  Steve has dubbed this place "The $6,000 House" because that is how much we have paid annually on projects and repairs.

Here are a few before and afters:

As frustrating as this house has been, it has also been a great blessing.  All of our children were born while we lived here.  It makes me a little sad that Nathan won't remember it.  We learned priceless lessons about marriage from this house, like: we don't work well together and that means we have to trust the other person to do a good job without our input, but don't pick colors without my input.  Steve taught himself how to do all kinds of handyman things on this house.  He also learned some things are not at all worth doing himself.  I grew a great garden here.  After all of those trees died the yard had enough sun for some lovely flower beds.  And we LOVE our neighbors and are so sad to leave them.

Old house, you have been a labor of love and have to.  We will miss you.  Be nice to the new people.