In This House

Boxes may now grace the rooms of this house, 

But not long ago, 

This house was a home. 

In this house,
Babies have been made and babies have grown. 

Two of my babies have taken their first breaths within these walls.
So many firsts have graced these walls - first cries, first laughs, first steps, first words.
So many meals have been enjoyed (and not enjoyed) together.
The scent of home cooking and new baby smells have wafted through many noses.
Laughter has rang through the halls and rooms.
Tears have formed rivers as grief has taken hold.
Moments upon moments of silence have passed by as I've just rocked and watched my kids breathe and sleep in my arms. 

I have grown up from just a girl to a woman to a mom.
I have watched as my husband has grown from a boy to a man to a dad.
We have grown together.
We have fought and yelled at each other and we have fought together for each other. 

We have yelled at the world together and the unfair ugliness that can accost you at any time.

We have held each other in times of sorrow and laughed with each other in times of joy.
We have loved and loved and loved some more. 

This is the house I came home to from the hospital empty handed and full of tears.
This is the house I came home to from the hospital holding a squishy little boy and still full of tears.
This is the house that I brought two sweet and big baby boys into the world in.
This is the house I found myself in and lost myself in and found myself again.
This is the house that I grew up in.

For whoever is here next,
Listen carefully and you may hear the echoes of this house's past.
Trampling footsteps parading down the hall while little boys' laughter echoes through the rooms.
Screaming as those same boys wrestle and play and jump around.
You may hear someone crying for a life that was never to be.
You may hear a mother working hard to bring a baby into this world.
You may hear the soft voice of a father comforting a toddler in the dark of the night.
You may hear the whimper of a baby looking for milk.
You may hear whispers of two people in love learning how to grow together.
You may hear love.
You may hear life.

You will find a home.