This is Where

I wanted to try, but I just can't do it.  I can't.  I simply can't put into words, all of the feelings and life we've had here. My heart has been brimming with emotions and my eyes with tears, on and off for months.

When we moved in, in March of 2006, Ava was nearly 4 1/2 and Soren was 20 months. Soren was still calling the chocolately mess on his face, here, "boom tone", for ice cream cone... (no idea)

I started grouping together pictures of all of the big events we've experienced while living in Appleton.  It was overwhelming.  I also realized that most of the snapshots from my Shutterfly albums, that triggered tears to sting my eyes, were not ones of huge events, but of every day moments.  

True, I thought, I could blog a post of a cascade of pix of the kids' birthdays here - there have been a total of 26 of those while we've lived here!  And while those celebrations were always so very special, the pictures I've saved, and they love they convey, I hope will speak for themselves, so that the kids will treasure them later on. 

I also considered trying to write about all of the people who've we've met and grown close to during these years, and the experiences with them have greatly enriched our lives! 

Again, impossible. 

Appleton.

This is where Tony and I became each other's biggest fans in a whole new way when we decided to become runners/marathoners...

and where the kids discovered their joy in running, too!

This is where...

 we spent 9 summers of swim lessons at Erb Pool, which was nearly impossible the 1st year, as a third trimester preggo, trying to keep a fearless 2 year old afloat, while "watching" the preschooler's lesson.  My how the tables have turned, over time, as this summer they have been riding their bikes together to Erb, on their own!

This is where...

Rainy Day Sales took place...

and where Garmin because our favorite-est, ever :)

This old house is where we grew from 

a family of 4 to a family of 5.

This is where the kids tried out soccer, and dance, and softball, and baseball.  They learned about friendships and heartbreaks, and how to make 3 some company instead of a crowd.

This is where we bonded...

and got our buckets filled.

 This is where kids' imaginations were fed.

"Date Night" by Gressa

This is where our homeschooling adventure began!

This is where went hiking, and biking, and played in a LOT of snow.

It's been all of this and so, so, so much.more.
It's been 8 years of incredible love and laughter and learning.

And, I'm so grateful for it all. 

So, today as I sat on my porch for probably the last time (!), I realized something else.

This, this is where...

 all 3 kids learned to ride this very same 2-wheeler bike...  

and on this very driveway. 

From giving a pushing start to Ava with G in my belly, to cheering for Soren, to wiping G's tears while trying to break her perfectionist view of how her 1st times on a bike should go - what.a.privilege. 

It's been an amazing ride, here. 

I wonder what they will treasure most...