A tribute to a house.. (can you HAVE a tribute to a HOUSE??)

So, we are officially moving July 10th.. (well, at least we CLOSE on that date).  The entire process took 5 days from start (meeting the realtor and doing paperwork) to finish (having an option pending on both houses).  It was actually a painless process, which is amazing because I did NOT want to move.  We saw God working throughout this short process.  I know it may sound cheesy to say that about a house, but it was so true.  Here is a short run-down of some miraculous things that happened:

*Our house was supposed to be on the market monday, but it sold Sunday... to someone who already had an option pending on another house, but loved our house more.

*The financing is working out perfectly and we will have EXACTLY what we need to do with the finances EXACTLY what we wanted

*The house we wanted.. and got.. had already had an option pending one time, but the sellers thought the buyers were being too difficult, so they backed out.  There were two offers put on the house BEFORE ours, ours was number three.  We got picked.  It's a long story how, but our realtor was on top of things.

*I'm actually excited about moving, which is a God send in itself.  I love my house and everything about it, but alas, it is 1100 square feet with five people and 2 dogs living in it.  It's time to move on.

I would like to show some pictures of the house we live in now.  I am in love with my little house, so I always want to remember it.  Here are some pictures of what it looked like BEFORE we moved in and what it looks like now:

the above was before we moved in.  The kitchen was one of the selling points.  We loved the backsplash, and the silestone counters.  Below is now.  As you will be able to tell, I love me some paint!

Here is one before of the living room, and a couple of after:

the next few are just what the master and bathroom look like now.. I couldn't find any before pics.

At the foot of my bed is where Noah used to "practice" walking without being seen by people.  If I would walk in and look at him, he would quickly sit down.  He was/is such a perfectionist!

here is a before and after shot of the kids bathroom.  When we moved in there was this sunflower wallpaper everywhere.  You really didn't notice the sunflowers, just the green vines everywhere.  Chris called it the Jungle bathroom.  When Chris was gone on a trip, my mom and I redid the bathroom to surprise him.  My mom and I were trying to get the wallpaper off and we heard if you put fabric softener on wallpaper, it would make it come off easier.  NOT. TRUE.  seriously, we had fabric softener EVERYWHERE.  All over the tile, all over ourselves, the walls, ceiling, dog.. kid...  anyways, I thought the smell of Downy was never going to go away.  To this day, I can't use Downy, the smell makes me sick.

now:

Now, Noah's bedroom was so cool when we moved in, but we redid it because it wasn't a nursery.  Noah is SO in to space now, that I wish we would have just kept it.. ( I know, Mom, You told me so...) 

and here is Kate and Karas room.  My favorite in the house.  The little toddler bed you will see is one my Uncle made for her.  So special.  We went to see them a couple of summers ago, and it was in the room where we were staying.  He said that he made it for her.  She tells everyone "uncle Nelson" made the bed, JUST. FOR. KATE.  It will be a sad day for her when Kara moves into that bed!!!  The mirror in there is the precious mirror my dad made for Kate.  It's her "nincess mirror".  She looks in it every morning. noon. night. midmorning. midnoon. midnight.. etc.  you get the point.  He better make Kara one, too, because Kate's not sharing that.  The baby bed was mine when I was a baby :)

other random outside pics...

my garden that I'm proud of...  (yes, I'm a freak..)

This house has so many memories, and I think that that is the reason I'm sad (of course!)

I brought two babies home to the house, taught three babies to crawl, talk-some, and walk (minus Kara...).  My house was full of laughter, screaming, crying, talking... and some really funny things.  I set the kitchen on fire 4 times in this house...  great, I'm moving to a gas stove... not sure if that is the best thing.

Anyways, I will miss my crazy neighbors, they did give me some fun blogs.  I will miss my veggie garden that I finally got after 5 years.  I will miss the nice postman-lady that delivers our mail and puts a rubberband around it so the kids can grab it from her.  I will miss my kids swinging on the swing set a cracking up laughing (our new house doesn't have one) talking about bird poop flying on their heads.  I won't miss Kate getting knocked in the head a dozen times by the swings.. ( so THAT's what is wrong with her!)  This has been an awesome house, and I just hope the people who move here fall in love with it as much as I have.  I can't wait to make memories in the new house and for Kara to learn to walk there.  Now, we just have to worry about those darn stairs.... always something