The House That Built Me

I said goodbye to a very dear friend this week. 

 My house. 

Well, not the house I grew up in.  But the house that turned me from a college kid still on her parents' insurance to a self-sufficient grown adult. The house where I got to live with my sister, her husband, and my best friend in the best location in town.

I want to take a moment and recognize something incredible. 

Here are a few highlights from my four years on 5th and Odgen:

Reconnected with my sister after years of barely knowing each other, only to become best friends

Came to love my future brother-in-law

Met Alyssa for the first time

Became a teacher

 Brought home Baby Bear

Found out I was gluten intolerant

 Lived with 5 different roommates

Watched my sister get proposed to (on the front lawn)

Celebrated my parents' 30th anniversary (in the back yard) 

 Held a viewing party for the Royal Wedding

Got my heart broken

Bear and Marley celebrated their first birthdays

Met some really great coworkers/friends for life

Watched 10 complete seasons of The Bachelor/Bachelorette/Bachelor Pad

Cried through 2 of Alyssa's birthday parties

Threw some wild parties

Turned 23, 24, 25, and 26

Let Lime's margaritas get the best of me

Watched my sister get married

 Tillie Toto died after12 years

Graduated with my Master's degree

Got a tattoo

Threw Katie's Bachelorette Party in the living room

Got introduced to Coco's dance moves

 Managed to not run over the DAMN YORKIES that are always in the street 

Overcome so many childhood fears, only to find new scary adult ones

Found a great support system and community

 Yup, pretty much everything important happened in this house.  

But the best part is that everything that made this house great - I get to take with me. 

Here's to the next four years.