Saying Goodbye to Raylee’s First House

Last week, the packers arrived at our house in Clarksville. They packed up all our belongings into boxes. The only things left were the items we had set aside in a bathroom marked “Do Not Pack.” We slept in our house for the last time, and the next morning we loaded up the car. After a quick breakfast, Raylee and I walked through her first house for the last time. I prayed over each room. I thanked God for the memories there and prayed for the people who would soon move in and make it their home.

Raylee and I loaded into the car, said goodbye to Travis, and pulled out for the last time. We passed the moving truck as we left our neighborhood. Driving away, I let myself think back to all the memories we made in that house.

Memories of Raylee’s First House

I remember house hunting when we got to Clarksville. I was newly pregnant, living in a hotel, and a little sick. I was getting stressed that we weren’t going to find anything. We drove through a neighborhood where a friend of mine lived. That’s when I saw the house with the teal door!

That house became our home as we decorated and rearranged furniture. Our first big party was our baseball gender reveal party. I loved decorating and planning for it. Travis and I were overwhelmed with love and gratitude when we saw how many people drove all the way down to celebrate with us. I loved seeing our families intertwine and getting to know one another. The best part, of course, was finding out we were having a girl!

We changed my office into a nursery, decorating it in purple, grey, and white with lots of elephants. I absolutely loved how it turned out.

This house was full of memories of cuddling with Travis in the mornings, watching Raylee move around in my belly. I would sit there during the day while Travis was at work and read to the baby inside me. It wasn’t long before we brought that baby home to the house with the teal door. Those first few weeks were so, so hard. But boy, did we have support. So many people came to visit, to help, brought food, and showed us love.

The light would shine through the windows, and Raylee would look toward them with her little alert face. Those walls heard a lot of crying. We spent many nights rocking a baby around the living room or standing next to a running faucet. But eventually, those walls heard laughter too. Travis yelled for me as he gave Raylee a bath one evening. I ran upstairs, and that’s when we heard her laughing for the first time as he washed her neck. That was just the beginning. Many giggles echoed through that upstairs bathroom during bath time.

We would play with Raylee on the living room floor. We’d read her stories on the guest bed. I spent many, many hours nursing and rocking her in her bedroom, sometimes in the middle of the night — alone with the moon shining through the window. I folded countless articles of clothing in the hallway while Raylee played around me, unfolding the clothes I had already folded.

Who knows how many times we walked to her bedroom in the middle of the night to soothe her back to sleep. I learned which spots in the floor creaked and how to step around them. I loved walking up my stairs and seeing the collage wall of photos — each one special to me. We danced in the living room and in the kitchen. We danced all around that house.

Our guest room had been used many times. We loved having visitors, showing them the Army base or taking them to our favorite restaurants. My mom was our guest most often, but we also had visitors all the way from Thailand. It was an extra special weekend when all three of my high school best friends came to visit, and I got to share the news of my pregnancy in person.

I loved feeling the warmth of the fireplace during the cold winter days. Our living room went from pretty and organized to covered with toys to completely baby-proofed. Raylee learned to crawl in that house and before we knew it, she was walking too. She’s also fallen more times than I can count, but that means I’ve scooped her up in my arms, kissed her, and told her she’ll be alright more than I can count too. She learned how to crawl up stairs in that house, and we loved watching her do it. She explored all the kitchen cabinets, played in the fridge and pantry, and stood at the patio door to look outside.

She attempted to eat acorns on our back deck, rolled down the hill in our backyard (not on purpose), and rode in her first play car in our driveway. We took lots of walks around that neighborhood. Our stroller learned the path to take up to Julie’s house and down the back road through the trees.

Raylee knows exactly which door Travis walks in when he comes home from work. We have all learned the sound of the garage door opening. While sitting in her high chair eating breakfast, Raylee always waves goodbye to Travis after he’s closed the door behind him to leave for work.

We’ve had delicious meals in our dining room and some not so delicious ones too. I don’t know how many times I’ve swept that floor under Raylee’s high chair.

We also had our last big party right there in that house — Raylee’s first birthday party. Again, we were blown away by how many people came to celebrate. We loved seeing Raylee blossom and soak up all the attention from her family members.

I know it’s just a house. It’s just walls and ceilings and a bright teal door. Travis keeps reminding me that the memories get to go with us, so we aren’t really leaving anything behind. (Other than my friends! Shout out to ya’ll!) But I will miss our Tennessee house. I really did enjoy living there. So goodbye house with the teal door. Goodbye Clarksville.

This week, we are moving into our new home. When we closed on the house we got to meet the owners who have lived there for 12 years. The woman told me that the night before closing they stood together in the living room and prayed, thanking God for the memories and praying for us — the new owners. I thought that was awesome.

That day, when we went to look at the house after we signed the papers, I walked through and prayed over each room. I know that God goes before us. I know that this home will be filled with joy and laughter, and probably lots of tears too. But it will also be filled with the peace of God. We are looking forward to the adventure ahead.

Check out our Tennessee Home Tour to see photos our house when we first got it. Stay tuned for a Kentucky Home Tour once we get settled!