We sat the kids down and told them that it was official after months of talking in "ifs" - If someone buys our house....If we move...If we live somewhere else...
Cam had two questions: "Would Santa still visit us?" "Will our new house have grass?" Luckily we could answer yes to both of those! Maeve didn't have an immediate reaction, but then went into the mode of asking, "Will we take this with us?" pointing to a picture. Or "How about this?" as she runs her fingers over the bannister.
We began the process of packing, and I am not sure this is a process I ever want to undertake again. I really didn't know where to begin. We started that Sunday with the kitchen. After 26 boxes and several loads to Goodwill, we knew this task was even greater than we imagined it would be. Why had I not prepared over the summer when I had the time and the energy? Each night I conquered one more small task, saving some of the major things for the weekend- like the closets. Cam and Maeve's weren't too bad since I have to reconfigure theirs each season, but mine and Tony's were quite a different story. We weeded out a lot! We also had to think about what we would need during our basement stay. So some were boxed up while others were put in the "take with us to Nonna and Pops" pile. And then there was the closet in the extra bedroom- aye, yiy, yiy! My poor sister staged an intervention as I let go of ribbons and bows from our wedding and tons of "I might need that one day stuff!"And let's not forget the attic and the basement and any other possible places I could stuff something. It is amazing that we ever made it out alive! (Or by our deadline!) 
From the time we began considering leaving our custom-built, forever home, we prayed for just the right people to come along and want it. We didn't want just anyone to have our home; the one we drew up the plans for, spent endless hours building and working to complete it, brought our babies home to. We didn't have an abundance of lookers- a couple every couple of months. We knew when a certain family asked to come back again, it must really be serious. We actually met them and their sweet one year old and felt like this may be the hand-picked couple God had in mind. And it was! I don't think they could be more perfect! I know they will continue to pour themselves into that home and make it all that we imagined it could be. The movers came the 10th. We took out the final things on the 12th. They moved in on the 13th. And we officially signed it over to them on the 15th.
We moved into a temporary basement abode with Nonna and Pop. It is fully equipped with a kitchen an even a washer and dryer, so no one can really feel sorry for us at all. It is quite cozy and very convenient if you run out of a kitchen essential or if you need for your kids to hitch a ride to school!
That Sunday night after we had said our official goodbyes to 535, I laid my weary head down for a much needed rest. My eyes popped open when I realized that I had forgotten something- the kids' fish! Both of them! Luckily the new owner and I had become Facebook friends. I sent her an SOS declaring my motherhood failure. I had to go back one last time to retrieve our pets- Crunchy Bacon and Bob Emily. To our disappointment, they are hearty little things and were fine even after days of neglect. I guess I will have to find a place for them in the new house.
The ones I worried the most about- Cam and Maeve- haven't missed a beat. Of course living with your grandparents is just grand! I don't think they miss the only home they have ever known a bit! It just proves that home truly is wherever your heart is.
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