Flashback Friday

Mike and I had a really difficult time finding the "right" house for us - one in which we wanted to raise our family.  It took many months and many offers on different houses before we stumbled across "the one".

Despite the house not having a garage, we fell in love with our home for many reasons. Perhaps one of my personal favorites is the front porch.  

In hindsight, I loved the porch, but had no way of knowing back then just how prominent a role it would come to serve over the next few years.

In 2004,  Mike and I would enjoy sitting out there after dinner chatting about our day - and our future dreams of watching our little ones play in the front yard on warm summer evenings chasing fireflies.

In 2005 we would sit out there and rock, lamenting over everything from our latest failure to conceive a baby, our miscarriage, the idea of adoption, and the harsh reality of perhaps never having children at all.

In 2006, I spent many hours on the front porch rocking the babies (still in utero!) and telling them all about the house, the neighborhood, their room, and all of the possibilities that lay ahead for them in life.

In 2007, we spent hours upon hours rocking our colicky and fussy little miracles.  It was as if they knew how special that porch was to us - they would (usually!) instantly become quiet and fall asleep in our arms with the back and forth rhythm of the chairs, the nice breeze and the sound of birds chirping in the trees.

 

In 2008 - we read books.

In 2009 - Mom and Dad gave Ella and Aidan the ability to join us in rocking on the porch - in their own (perfectly matching and coordinated!!) toddler sized rocking chairs!

You see, Mom and Dad were here non-stop in the first two years.  They may live 4 hours away, but they see Ella and Aidan and spend more time with them than anyone else I can think of (well, other than Mike and I).  There have been so many random weekends when we get a phone call from Mommy Shushi saying "I know we were just there last weekend, but can we come over for a visit - we just miss our little ones so much!".  Ella and Aidan make daily requests to talk with them on the phone - Opa and Mommy Shushi are constantly the topic of conversation around this house!

They knew just what to get Ella and Aidan for their 2nd birthday - a gift with thought and meaning  - so very much meaning.  

Who knows, maybe these four rocking chairs will live on for generations to come and end up on a great, great grandchild's porch.