Mom's House

 We close on mom's house in two days.  Soon another family will make their own memories in the house that my mom lived in and cared for.  Her house had a deep cleaning yesterday and the stager removed all of her furniture minus the furniture we left behind, purchased by the buyers, the house was pretty much empty.  I was reminded of what my dear husband has said many times, "It's just a house."  But as Mary and I walked through the house inspecting each room to make sure we hadn't fogotten anything I knew I had to keep moving.  In that moment I couldn't reflect on the Christmas' we spent in the basement.  The sandbox mom had in her side yard for Jay, who of all her grands loved the sandbox the most.  The basement bedroom where my sister finished out her high school years, probably sneaking out and my mom's beloved reading room where she spent a lot of time with Jesus and reading good books. 

This morning at 4 am it hit me.  I was awake, reflecting on mom's house and suddenly the light over her kitchen sink popped into my head.  When Mike was remodeling her kitchen he had picked the light out.  At first my mom hated it but she trusted Mike's eye for design and agreed to it.  Of course that light complimented the look of the kitchen and mom ended up loving it.  Her kitchen is a true masterpiece and the memory that I carry most dear to me is witnessing the relationship between my mother and my husband in that season.  There wasn't a day during that project that my mom didn't look forward to seeing Mike and discussing the plans they had.  Mom's kitchen is probably one of Mike's most accomplished and proud projects.  Her kitchen was finished three months before her stroke.  Ironic isn't it?  But then I go back to Mike's philisophy, it's just a kitchen.  After her stroke Mike became her handyman.  She made countless calls to Mike to fix things.  He was always patient and kind.  Mike  installed railings on both sides of her stairs so she could easily go up and down the stairs.  Two years after her stroke he and mom collaborated once again and designed a new and improved bathroom for her, one that would be more handicapped accessible and easier for her to use.  Of course Mike designed it in a way that no one would ever know it was handicapped accessible.  He thoughtfully put in heated floors for her and installed a heated shower seat.  My sweetest memory during that time was mom calling me in the mornings and in her broken speech she would say, "Mike's here, I just love him."  Mike would always play with Walker which delighted mom.  

During seasons filled with joy and there were many in mom's house, I treasure them and tuck them away in my heart and memory.  Mom's current season of life is filled with challenges but she, her four grandchildren, Kim, Craig and Mike and I have memories of mom in that house that will always be a part of us.  If life has taught me anything it's that things change and we can't take any of this "stuff" with us.  It's the memories that make the biggest impression and shape you.