One Last Look

The other day, we drove over to my husband's parent's old house, to take one last look around before the new owners move in. They bought the house in '98, and Sam and I were only dating a few months when they moved in.

We remember thinking how old and run down it was back then. We couldn't believe they wanted to move away from their perfectly nice house in a subdivision, into this old dumpy place in the middle of nowhere.

But Sam's dad saw its potential, and began restoring it to its original beauty.

And restore it he did! It was like walking into another era, right down to the old fashioned light switches. He was able to keep most of the original hardwood floors, which I think made it extra special. Even the windows were the originals. (I didn't know until then, that there was a difference between new and old glass, but old glass makes things a little wavy as you look through them. They always made me dizzy.)

The house has a lot of history. It was built in the 1800's, and was once the home of George Fisher, an Indiana Football Hall of Fame inductee, and former coach at Warsaw High School. Our high school football field was named in his honor: Fisher Field.

In 2004, the house was part of the Historical Homes Tour, of Kosciusko County. (I had the honor of being one of the tour guides.)

There was also a suicide in the house years ago, and some of us believe that the old woman is still there. My husband and I never felt comfortable there at night. We always felt like someone was right behind us.

Sam's dad isn't convinced, but his mom has a lot of stories she could tell you. I can't believe she was never freaked out! She always acted like it was no big deal, and went on with whatever she was doing at the time. I hope the new owners like company.                                                                                    

But spookiness aside, we made a lot of great memories in that house, and on the property.

(Our 1st Christmas as a couple,1998)

We decorated our first Christmas tree together as a couple there in '98. It was only my 2nd time decorating a real Christmas tree. All of ours have always been fake, and still are. Not that I don't like real ones, but you see, I'm a Christmas nut, and always have the tree up the weekend before Thanksgiving. I'm not sure a real one would make it that long. Can you say Charlie Brown tree?LOL

In June of 2000, Sam asked me to marry him while we were taking a walk out by the barn. I knew something was going to happen that day, because he was acting weird. Ha!

In the spring of 2001, Sam's dad converted the old summer kitchen next to their house, into a little guest house for the two of us, and on October 6th we were married.

Around Thanksgiving I found out I was pregnant for Megan. Our first Christmas as a married couple, was spent with me having the worst morning sickness. But it was a wonderful day regardless. We were warm and cozy in our little house, and blessed to have a little one on the way.

There were many cook-outs, birthdays, and holidays spent at the old house. We had Halloween party's with hay rides and hot cocoa, and chili that Sam's dad cooked out on the old stone fireplace/chimney.

My bridal shower was held there in 2001, and so was my baby shower in 2009.

It was the place we were all together, one last time, before Sam's grandma passed away.

It will forever be a house filled with the memories of our laughter, tears, joy and sorrow. All the things that make a family a family.

Now it's time to make new memories. Memories that will end up being just as important as the ones we made in the old gray house.

After all, that's all we have when it comes down to it. And I believe we take them with us when we leave this world.

(Standing in the place where Sam proposed.)