Dear Apartment 104,

It's been 19 years. Not one time did I ever truly thank you for being there for me, but that's okay. It's okay because I am ready to move on, ready to find a new place to call my own. Along with this new place will be a fresh start, new memories, and more space for my rowdy, energetic dogs (thank goodness for that).

First, I just wanted to say that I hope your next owners are a little more organized than us. I apologize for that. Despite this, we have made a great home out of you, and we have scraped every last drop of happiness from you that we can. To tell you the truth, we have to leave you to be our happier selves now.

I know I owe you a debt of gratitude, though. Heck, I probably owe you so many thank yous. But to be honest, the only one I can think of off the top of my head is putting a roof over our heads for these past 7,060 days. So thank you. Along with this, thank you for the memories. Thank you for the endless summer days of football in the backyard. Thank you for the friends you have blessed me with. Thank you for my room, where I could cry myself to sleep on bad days, or giggle with my mom on good days. Thank you for every light-hearted moment you gave my family and me, I cannot ever replace these moments of love.

I will not thank you for the trouble you have put me and my family through, though. I will not thank you for your high rent, your inability to let any light in (which allows for no plant growth), your run-down appliances, your flea infestations, your crowded space, and your moldy walls.

You must be thinking, well why would you stay here for so long if you really hated living in me? My dear apartment, I wish I could explain to you the countless times we have wanted to leave, but just couldn't. You have (more than anyone else) witnessed our lives and the ins and outs of it. You must know how crazy, and how bizarre everything always went for us as a family. If you think about it, was there ever a time where it seemed perfect to leave you? Ever a time where we weren't flustered, run-down, and exhausted? That is but one reason why we never found the energy and the time to do what we have wanted to for years, but now we get to.

I must admit, moving is an interesting concept. Leaving a home you know like the back of your hand to live in a past stranger's house? To me though, it will be an adventure. One I am ready to embark on. A journey with many obstacles, but out of it we get a brand new place of our own. A house we can decorate ourselves, one big enough for a nice dining table, and one large enough for our dogs to have their own beds.

So thank you, apartment. Thank you for your time, but a new chapter begins now. A chapter with less dog hair and dust. I can't wait.

Signed,

Your Previous Owner