11 Years of Waking Up on Mt. Pleasant Occurred this Morning. Hard to Believe so Much Life Happened so Quickly.

It popped up that today is the anniversary of moving into a new home. The paper work was signed on the 24th, and Chitunga and I woke up in our individual rooms, mattresses on the floor, to an otherwise empty home. It was all stored in the garage (thanks to Leo, too). I remember that we also brought an amaryllis into the house and it bloomed two big flowers overnight...a sign that we made the right decision (besides the short cuts we found over the years from the agency that 'flipped' the space). I used to run by this house every day and when I started looking and it was up for sale, I knew it was the location that would work. 

The home has now seen the fur of Glamis and Karalynne on every floorboard, endured indoor soccer and football with Chitunga, Abu, Lossine, Kanyea, and Edem, and hosted many a party, with total joy on the back porch with the grill (and space for kids to run). 

Corn hole. Volleyball. Basketball. Bocce ball. The garage hosts all the tradition of yesteryear. 

Funny to look at this photo now and realize every single one of those cabinets were empty. 

I look around and see every crevice filled with something, adjustments to the spaces that we made our own, and the quiet that has more recently arrived with less activity. 

I've loved the openness of light in the home, the great hardwood floors, and the neighborhood: sidewalks, a downtown square, diverse neighbors, and beautiful trees. 

We got lucky, even with the giant Connecticut potatoes (rocks) that decorate both the front and back yards. 

And I'm by the Sound, which I love. The water. The reminder that a much larger world is out there, but the reminder of the sea is a few minutes away. 

Happy Anniversary to the home that has been built. I am amazed by how fast time flies.