522 (Memory Monday)

"There are places I'll remember all my life, though some have changed."

~In My Life, The Beatles

Lord willing, next Friday (5-20) is closing day, saying goodbye to my wonderful first home.

I'm grateful for God's timing through this transition.  And of course, I'm feeling a bit nostalgic and thankful as I look back at 15 years of wonderful memories at 522 North Willow Court... I made a lovely slideshow to commemorate that below. ❤

I was so happy to find that song... I really do believe the best is yet to come!

Still, 522 will always be my first adult home, a place that has shaped me, and a home I really loved!  

It will always be the place where...

• I survived a season of intense rejection and a very rough start at my new home, but I eventually branched out and formed amazing friendships, mostly woven together through my church small groups!
• I gained a sense of independence and strength, and I learned to depend more deeply on friends since I didn't have family in the Tulsa area!
• I hosted the Bourne trilogy night during the infamous ice storm of 2007.
• I hosted several lifegroup parties and game nights, including a 2008 New Years Eve party where I was paired up with Chet Lee and Sarah Elizabeth!
• I learned to cook and bake lots of new recipes that have become old favorites!
• I hosted Friday night dinners in 2017!
• I deeply grieved the loss of the man I hoped to marry (2007) and the loss of my best friend (2013, 2021).
• I spent a lot of alone time with God and eventually forgave and found healing.
• I hosted multiple "Mockey Little Christmas" parties with the Wilson and Moss families!
• I chose the hot pink, turquoise, purple, and lime green colors for my first Christmas there, and I'm still a fan of that theme today!
• Mom and I decorated early (like mid-October) and amassed a large collection of glittering Christmas decor! lol
• I trained for and ran my first Half Marathon in 2009... and a few more after that!
• I welcomed the cutest best girlfranz, Sam-Puffins and Ella Bellsy (2013)! 
• I learned to love baths and spa nights (which began as an escape from a stressful roommate situation).
• I lost some weight; I gained some weight; and I learned to stop seeking quick fixes and stop associating my worth and value with my weight!
• I lost some friends; I gained some friends; and I learned to stop seeking people who don't treat me well and to stop associating my worth and value with their opinions of me!
• I hosted a fun Lifegroup Thanksgiving dinner in my garage (after Chet and Malori helped me paint it and redo the floor)!
• I learned (through phone calls from Mom) about the passing of baby Anthony Eugene (2013) and Kenneth Eugene, aka Grandad (2019).
• I introduced Chet and co. to Pitch Perfect! lol  "Why did I think this was a baseball movie!?"
• Painting the entire home before moving in (2007), redoing a few rooms in 2017, and redoing a lot more in 2020!!
• Lots of dinners, movie nights, and late night talks with Malori (roommate 2009), Laura, Tiffany, Sarah, Jenna (roommate 2016/2017), and Brittany (roommate 2011)!
• I lived through the craziness of 2020 and the early days of the pandemic... I remember opening my windows, coloring, journaling, texting with friends, and taking neighborhood walks to keep my stress level low!
• I gained more confidence and wisdom (by walking with God through hard experiences and seasons of insecurity).
• I began my adoption journey and took the first steps toward becoming a mom!
• Mom and I packed up the entire house over the course of two very long, exhausting weekends... and rewarded ourselves with a Mother's Day brunch at Cheesecake Factory!

Moving week ~ August 2007
Grandad cut these boards to fit across my bathtub so I could paint the magnolias. =)

In summary, God timed this perfectly, so I'm not struggling with melancholy doubts or wallowing in sadness over this move.  My lonely nights gradually increased as most of my friends married and formed families and/or grew busier with work, so my heart was prepared and longing for this change, to move toward adoption and to spend more quality time with people I love!  I don't know all that lies ahead, but I feel hopeful for the future.  And I am sincerely thankful for the people I have loved (and still love), the things I have learned, and the memories I have made at 522!!  It was a beautiful and nearly-perfect first home for me, and I hope the next homeowner enjoys it as much as I did! ❤