After eight years in our rental, the owners decided to sell, and we had to move. It was the only home our children remembered – where they took their first steps, celebrated birthdays, and measured their heights on the kitchen doorframe. On our last day, we walked through each empty room, sharing memories of what had happened there. Our daughters wrote farewell letters to their bedrooms. We planted forget-me-nots in the garden as our parting gift to the house. Moving day was emotional – our youngest sat on the front steps refusing to leave until we promised to drive by occasionally. Though we’ve made a lovely home elsewhere, that rental holds a special place in our hearts as the backdrop to our children’s early years. You can’t own every wall that witnesses your most precious moments.
