Fresh out of college, budding with excitement, and looking forward to the start of the rest of our lives, Handy Man and I adopted our little house on the prairie. (Along with a yard full of antique wagons, three farm cats and two chickens)
Handy Man and I closed on our little house on the prairie, wrapped up our college lives and with the help of our family, moved in to our first home together.
As the last of the boxes were unloaded, the moving truck returned and the last of our helpers had left for the evening, Handy Man and I settled into our new living room, exhausted by the day. Boji lay on the floor while Handy Man and I talked about our plans for unpacking the rest of our belongings in the morning.
Turning my attention to the television - of course one of the very first things to be unpacked and set up, even before the truck was emptied... priorities - I hardly even noticed Handy Man slip away and return holding a medium sized, white box with a silver ribbon.
I am not really sure what ran through my mind first as Handy Man started to present me with the box. However as soon as he said he wanted to give me a house warming present, I could not help but be distracted as I thought, "Really? How does he even know what a house warming present is?" I began to open his gift and once I had removed the lid, I noticed a small bottle of champagne, two glasses and another very small, white box tucked inside.
The moment began to register. I looked up to see my Handy Man down on one knee. My heart skipped a beat. He reached into the medium box, took out the small, white, box and opened it. Inside, two small bands. He took my hand, looked me in the eyes and said, "Tonight is the first night in our new home together. The first night of our new life together. Will You Marry Me?"
In the first few years, I rode and trained horses. Handy Man enjoyed the ability to fine tune his rifle and shoot clay pigeons in the pasture. Boji loved the space to roam while chasing wild rabbits early in the mornings. Above all, the horses were in heaven.
Together we enjoyed the windy view from our little house on the prairie.
Home to our little house on the prairie.
From under it's roof, we loved and kissed our tiny Brown Eyed Girl. We learned patience through fits of crying and colic and were thankful our neighbors were out of earshot. We were amazed with each new milestone she mastered. Smiled every day as she grew so fast before our eyes and said her first words, took her first steps and changed from an infant to a toddler.
But under that roof, we become parents.
We welcomed Mr Blue Eyes last year and took him home from the same hospital to our little house on the prairie. Just as we did with our Brown Eyed Girl.
We had grown as a couple. Our beautiful children thriving, happy and safe. We had created a beautiful life for ourselves. I lived every day to watch my children grow, fall in love with nature and animals while I sat on the porch and admired the windy view.
Yes, our commute was outrageous.
Yes, our little house on the prairie was bulging at the seams.
However, there were so many memories.
If only these walls could talk.
With apprehension, we listed our house in May this year. A few short months later, a very kind gentleman fell in love with our little house on the prairie. On October 30th, we officially closed on our home.
We piled all of our belongings inside a trailer.
The last two days we had in our little house on the prairie were challenging. The feeling of living in a house that you no longer own is unexplainable. Moving is strenuous. Physically. Emotionally. There is a reason married people don't move every year.
I kept my emotions at bay by focusing on how to carefully preparing our Brown Eyed Girl for this move. I was afraid if she saw me too emotional that it would make it harder on her. This is another reason why I love a barn and horses. They are the purest escape and the therapy sessions are free.
The last night in our house, after dropping off the last load to be stored, Handy Man and I were headed back to our little house on the prairie to get his car before finally leaving. As we drove in silence, I stared up at the little hill which supported our little house on the prairie. All of the lights were on.
There, right in front of us, we both saw the biggest shooting star we had ever seen. Most amazing, the shooting star was green. A brilliant glow of green light. I had never seen anything quite like it before.
We both gasped out load.
A green shooting star.
I couldn't help but feel like this meant something - and like the research nerd I am, I Googled it.
Supposedly, a green shooting star is actually most likely a meteor made of copper.
Copper...
In the Bible, copper is a symbol of human nature and man's search for wisdom.
Green...
Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness and fertility - please not the last one. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Green has a great healing power, and suggests stability and endurance. In heraldry, green indicates growth and hope.
I am okay with that. I know although this adventure is going to be a little windy, it's going to be okay.
We truly are blessed by family and friends.
My wonderful mother helped me box up our belongings. Generous friends helped us store our lives while we continue to search for our next home. My in-laws opened their doors and took my homeless family in.
I will never forget all the memories made in our little house in the prairie. This is just the close of one chapter and the start of the next.
Regardless, I know I will always love and enjoy the windy view of my life.
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