Closing Chapters: Our First Home.

This week we're saying goodbye to our first home together; our sweet little downtown apartment. This sub 400 square feet space has been so significant for us. I was avoiding this but we took down all our wall art last night and that really queued the sad feelings.

I'm walking down memory lane and it's bittersweet. 

When we were engaged I was nervous we wouldn't find something we liked in our price range. But then (Thanks to a friend who saw the for rent sign) this place appeared. While looking at it I ran into another prospective tenant I had just seen at another unit. I liked this place and was nervous we wouldn't get it. But the second (of two) unit opened up and we each got one.

We've loved these neighbors. We moved in and got married one week apart. We've shared holiday meals, random nights in the yard, porch conversations and neighborhood watch moments (y'all, downtown life is anything but boring). This past year we both got dogs. It's been such a gift to share life and a wall with them.

We learned (and are still learning) to be married people in this home.
We fought a lot in our first year (turns out making big decisions when you feel completely opposite from one another is hard in your first few months of marriage).
We've made it our own over the years. Charles built furniture, we decorated, we used every square foot to be a space we loved and could invite people into.
We celebrated holidays with festive decor, parties and traditions.
We navigated new job decisions, a potential move out of state, and unknown roads.
We've spent tons of time walking our neighborhood and our favorite local spots.
We've exclusively grilled to avoid the intense Summer heat and huddle around our window AC.
We experienced loss of family members and learned to grieve together.
We celebrated wins in ministry and cried over struggles we've witnessed people face.
We've planned trips and dreamed of future getaways.
We celebrated the news of a little one coming our way.
We've binged watched shows and had lazy movie nights.
We've enjoyed brunch and slow coffee mornings as often as possible.

There's so many moments that fill the memories of this season and this home.

I am so thankful for what is next but also sitting in the value of what has been. I'm sad to close out this season.

Thanks little Amerige Avenue home for all you've held over the last 4.5 years. You'll always be significant to us.

What our kitchen normally looks like ;)

 Holidays and festivities

Anniversary session with Tay Joy Photography.

Before and After

Small home = lots of yard hosting. We're so thankful for this yard space.

Just before packing everything up (thanks again Taylor for documenting our life).