316 Maple...

Since we are moving in a week and so far I've succeeded at not getting too sentimental, I gave in and wrote a little something in honor of the money pit that has been our home for the past 5 years. Here goes:

The house at 316 Maple

Has taught me so very many things...

Like the meaning of "Buyer's Remorse"

And the horrible feelings that it brings.

The house at 316 Maple

Has caused me sorrow and despair...

Sometimes I wondered if my sanity

Was beyond repair.

Ethan grew up

In a Construction zone...

I doubt we would have purchased you

If we had only known...

...How much time and effort

that this house would take,

Or if we had known

What a mess it all would make.

Dust, dirt, and power tools

Are what we lived with these past 5 years.

And the progress we've made has taken

Our blood, sweat, and tears.

The projects were never-ending

Hanging drywall, installing floors, and painting...

Putting in air conditioning

To avoid the risk of fainting.

Updating the plumbing, electrical,

Installing new water-heateaters and floors,

Puting in new windows

And hanging up new doors...

Adding insullation

Under floors, in walls, and the ceiling...

Everything adding up

Left our bank account reeling...

A Mother's Day gift

For just what I had wished!

A stair railing installed

And crossed off the list!

Our second child was on the way

And we'd purchased a new business, too...

Oh, 316 Maple...

I wasn't quite ready for you...

There wasn't just work

On the inside to do...

There were projects outside,

And not just a few...

Leveling out the yard

Was a project to dread...

And while cleaning out flowerbeds

We found names of the dead...

With two little boys

Running wild and free,

A fence with a gate

Was a priority...

And what of the driveway

With dirt that was bare?

Add to the long list

Gravel to be spread there...

The list went on

With a new front and back porch...

At times I was tempted

To destroy you with a torch.

It's true, 316 Maple,

That over these 5 years

You've brought to my life

Frustration and tears...

But more important

Are the lessons I've learned

Of hard work and patience

And things that are earned...

You may not have been beautiful

When our journey did start,

But these four walls hold memories

I'll keep in my heart.

~*~

My babies' first steps

were taken here,

My oldest completed

His Kindergarten year...

Bringing Kamden home

when he was tiny and new,

And watching that baby

as he grew and grew...

Ethan hanging undies

up on a hanger,

Owen wearing them on his head...

which one is stranger?

Kamden turned one

and devoured his cake,

Playing in the leaves

with no need for a rake...

When Ethan turned two

it was hard to believe,

Riding his bike was something

 he worked hard to acheive...

Backyard mudpits

make the best of friends,

Popsicles are best on summer days

that don't end...

Kamden was determined

to learn how to walk,

Ethan almost got lost

in the garden corn stalks...

Ethan & Kamden

sure love their little brother,

Although sometimes he makes life hard

for his mother...

At 316 Maple

Ethan's teeth have been lost,

And who can guess how much

these ugly sweaters cost?

There have been snow forts

in the front yard...

And snow angels too,

And at 316 Maple the boys learned

 where to poo...

Owen learned how to roll over

 while lying on the floor,

And in 2010

Kamden turned FOUR!

We've enjoyed apples

from our very own tree,

Sometimes in the backyard

this is what I'd see...

One year I had Jeff

hang the Christmas lights up high,

And Owen has learned

how to throw a fit and cry...

Ethan rides his bike now

without training wheels,

And the boys have worn everything,

including tank tops and heels...

Owen turned one

and he made quite a mess,

Sometimes when the boys asked to help,

I said YES!

The boys went to bed on Christmas Eve

in jammies that were new,

And, on occasion,

we built a fort or two...

Sundays have included

watching football games,

And who can help but laugh at Owen

in these funny frames?

He is quite the helper

when it comes to mopping floors,

And cleaning up the kitchen

is one of Kamden's favorite chores...

Camping out upstairs

is a favorite thing to do,

And Kamden loved his tractor cake 

when he turned TWO!

Ethan likes playing trucks,

he's great behind the wheel,

And it sure is a challenge

getting these three to sit still...

Owen used to love

bathtime in the sink,

And Ethan loved his 5th birthday cake,

he didn't know what to think!

Afternoons have been spent

eating tortillas with cheese,

And because of 316 Maple,

we've made friends like these...

In 316 Maple's kitchen,

Jeff has become quite the cook,

And I can't begin to count

all of the walks we took... 

Christmas mornings

were always full of surprise, 

And our family grew

right before my eyes...

Sounds of little feet running

constantly filled my ears, 

I could hardly believe it

when Ethan celebrated 6 years...

There was time spent climbing

the backyard walnut tree,

And back in '09

our little Kamden turned THREE!

Playing outside

and camping in the tent,

Owen's first smiles...

I'll never forget...

Carving Jack-O-Lanterns

just for Halloween,

Cleaning up some of the biggest messes

that I've ever seen...

Watching Ethan

do Pilates on the floor,

Building a snowman family

when our family had four...

Ethan was all smiles

while decorating the Christmas tree,

And in December of '07

is when he turned THREE!

Playing in the sprinklers

and trying to cool down,

Finding the cutest cowboy

in the whole darn town...

Going for bike rides

up and down the street,

Watching Kamden learn to stand

upon his own two feet...

Football parties with friends

were always lots of fun,

Brothers reading books together

when the day was done...

An afternoon nap

after hours of play,

The best Daddy ever,

Happy Father's Day!

Eating corn on the cob

til your tummy is full,

And Dinosaur Hunting

never was dull...

Building with Lincoln Logs

gave hours of bliss,

My heart just melts

when I see things like this...

At 316 Maple

I hosted my first Thanksgiving EVER,

And time spent here with family

is something that we'll treasure...

Golfing in the backyard

is one of Ethan's favorite things to do,

While Kamden would rather eat...

Bet you didn't know that, did you?

So 316 Maple,

It's been quite the ride

As we rebuilt and transformed you...

Oh, how we tried.

We didn't realize

The way our lives would go

During the whole process

As we made this house a home.

How can I regret

The blood, sweat, and tears...

When you've given me so much

Over the past 5 years?