What will you miss about your old house?

1.       I will miss the yard.  Not that my new home doesn’t have an amazing if not better yard but I took a boring square grass and mud square to something of beauty and something that I was proud about.  I transformed a muddy slope into a side yard escape.  I took an unused corner and made it into a cozy cottage retreat with a shed I built with my dad and raised garden beds.  I will miss not being able to see this yard grow to its maturity.

      

           More specifically, I will miss my wall of iris in bloom and being able to walk the yard seeing what is in bloom each night when I get home from work.  I will miss lounging under the Maple tree with the full view of the yard watching Sophie play in her pool or taking an afternoon nap.  I will miss sitting in the entrance to the Garden as Anna fusses with the garden planning her next canning escapade.  I won't miss mowing my lawn however, and feeling like I'm shaking apart from the unevenness of the ground.  I will miss seeing my Hosta Garden grow on the side of the house and always committing to spend more time over there but never actually doing it.

2.       The Ward.  Although I’m moving back to my “home” ward I feel like I am leaving the ward that really fit that description more for me.  I’m sure being in the Bishopric has shaped my perception and certainly my involvement in the ward but I have loved getting to know everyone and feeling their love and support in return for my family.  I have loved that people really watch out for each other and are very inclusive in the ward family with little to no cliques and that there is a good mix of economic and family dynamics.

     

            I will miss the Hatch's and being able to go to them for advice on emergency planning or on gardening.  I will miss Colleen Plaizier and her tender care of our girls in nursery and letting us bring them early (what a blessing).   I will miss the Peterson's/Stacey's always willing to help Anna out with the girls during sacrament since I am up on the stand.  I will miss the Barton's peeking their heads over the fence to visit or the Stratton's stopping by with cookies or bread from Schmidts Bakery.  

      

           I will miss the Bishopric.  I have been so blessed to have been able to be a part of the Bishopric.  I will miss not only being a part of the Ward and knowing everyone and everything that is going on but I will miss just being with this fine group of men.  I never would have picked these men as close friends yet they have become just that.  I will miss being able to go up to strangers and they are happy to talk to me because I'm in the Bishopric and have a reason to be coming to their home or have a reason to get to know them. 

3.       Bountiful City.  Is it weird to miss a city?  Especially when I am moving to the city right next door.  Growing up I will admit I always was a Centerville Snob thinking Centerville was the best but after living in Bountiful I have started singing a different tune.  I will miss Bountiful Dump with its convenience and access to great compost.  I will miss Bountiful Power.  I will really miss how good Bountiful cleans their streets during the winter…it is sad when you can tell you have crossed the border into Centerville because the streets aren’t plowed.  

4.       I will miss my little house.  This was the house I bought when I was single with all of my struggles.  I bought this house hoping that one day I would fill it with a family.  I remember getting blessings in my living room that one day I would hear the patter of little feet in the halls and would hear my name replaced by “Daddy”.  This was the home that I became a husband and carried my wife across the threshold and where I became a dad to two beautiful little girls whose whole world took place in those walls.

5.       My neighbors.  You may think this is the same as the Ward but I live on the border between wards/Stakes and my next door neighbors are not members.  I have loved living next to Steve and June Thaxton and their willingness to share with us and let us get chickens.  I also loved living across from Charlie and Lorna who became good friends and great mentors from day one.  They not only took an interest in me but my yard and my family.