The blink of an eye

For the past few weeks our household has been consumed with the process of moving. I had no idea what an emotional toll (not to mention physical!) it would take - on everyone. Today I have a post on DotMoms (http://roughdraft.typepad.com/dotmoms/2005/12/blink_1.html), which is supremely sappy, but it will show you the over-the-top, melancholy, sentimental mood I am in. I loved our house and our kids loved the house and I miss it. But, mostly, moving just reminds me how fast time goes and how much things change...Here it is, but be sure to visit DotMoms anyway - the link is right there on the left!

Blink

By Cooper

Last week we moved from the house we lived in for seven years. I carried three of my four children into that house as infants. My 8-year-old told me the night before we left that moving was the hardest thing she ever had to do. Thank God, but, still, I ached for her. She wrote a letter to the new owners -- "I love this room and please don't change it. If you do, I guess that is OK." -- and when we sat on the floor where her bed used to be and she read it to me, I sobbed right along with her. The whole process of moving has me sentimental and thinking about the insanely fast pace of time. Forgive the sapiness, but, this is for my kids.

I called Grandma and Papa and told them I was going to have a baby. And I blinked and you were here, one by one, all four of you.

I held you as you cried through the first six weeks, a tummy ache, an ear infection, a bad dream, and it seemed like forever. But, then, you slept through the night.

You sat up, crawled, scooted, wobbled, walked and ran. Now it is hard to catch you.

I blinked and we went off to baby classes and preschool and then you got on the school bus and were away all day.

Now you dress yourself, do homework and you don't want me to hug you in front of your friends.

You like loud music and you lock your diary after you write in it.

Soon I will blink and you will want money for jeans and keys to the car. You will want to make your own decisions and won't like some of the things I have to say. You might not think I understand. But I promise I will try.

I will blink again and you will be off to college.

Figuring out who you are.

Exploring the world.

Looking for answers.

Getting a job.

Moving away.

Falling in love.

Someone will ask your dad and me, "Who gives away this child?"

Then, someday, I hope, you will call me and say I am going to be a grandma.

I will cry and you will cry.

Soon enough you will tell me you blinked and time flew.

And I will smile and nod because I understand.

Comments

[running2ks]

You make me well up with tears here. OOOOH!

[Emily]

What a rite of passage it is to say goodbye to a house. Just this week, we were talking about our old apartment in the city and my five year old didn't remember it. We moved out when she was just two, and three years later, even though I know better, it still surprises and saddens me that she doesn't remember the rooms of the home she lived in her first two years.

It's a great big deal moving to a new home .. everyone is going to flow in the space in new ways, and down the road as everyone gets settled in, happy and sad and momentus occasions all will take place under your shiny new roof. Exciting and traumatizing at the same time.

I love your daughter's letter to her old room, and will think of doing the same myself one day.

[Emily]

What a rite of passage it is to say goodbye to a house. Just this week, we were talking about our old apartment in the city and my five year old didn't remember it. We moved out when she was just two, and three years later, even though I know better, it still surprises and saddens me that she doesn't remember the rooms of the home she lived in her first two years.

It's a great big deal moving to a new home .. everyone is going to flow in the space in new ways, and down the road as everyone gets settled in, happy and sad and momentus occasions all will take place under your shiny new roof. Exciting and traumatizing at the same time.

I love your daughter's letter to her old room, and will think of doing the same myself one day.

[Isabel]

Simply beautiful.

[Anna]

It has been almost a year since we moved, but I still get sad and sappy. My son was born in our last house and one of the biggest reasons not to move was that. He will never remember the first house he lived in (he is only 28 months) and that makes me sad. Setting up for Christmas here in our new place made me kinda sad too. Everything had a place at our old house and filled it to the brim. It all seems lost in the new place. It was all for the better and I hope I don't blink too fast, the first two years have gone by so fast already.

Anna

[Becki]

I can't believe you've been back for two weeks and I haven't checked.

That post was, indeed, beautiful.

[Izzy]

The part about sitting on the floor sobbing with your daughter at the prospect of moving out of your home made me tear up. I sometimes underestimate how much a home means to a child because we moved so much when I was little and I guess I was just used to it. My daughter often tells me how sad she was to leave our old house (she was not quite three then) and I feel so sad for taking her from the only home she ever really knew. But new beginnings can be wonderful, right? Right. Best of luck in your new home!

[Shelley Ginger]

Reading your post was like a little time capsule of your life in that house.

I hope the new owners will cherish the note from your daughter. Charming.

The post - full of heart.