As I write this article, I’m sitting in my childhood room for what will very likely be the last time. This is a room I have redone three times. From a cloud ceiling, to flowers on the wall, and it’s current state of pink, this room has served me well. I’ve laughed with friends here, I’ve cried here...I’ve quite literally grown up here. Throughout the course of sixteen years, three different beds have been shuffled through the doors, carpet has been ripped up, and a closet has been transformed.

By the time this article is published, I’ll be moved into a new house and my family will be in the midst of unpacking and organizing all of our things in a new environment. We’ve always wanted to move, but I never thought this day would actually come. I’m looking forward to gaining more space (and a pool), but I’m a little verklempt when it comes to realizing I’m leaving my childhood home.

We moved into this house on my fourth birthday. I was so upset that I couldn’t even muster up a full smile for a picture. Why were we moving on my birthday?! I had cake to eat and presents to open. Needless to say, it wasn’t the best day of my life.

I wish I could go back and tell my four year old self that it was all going to be okay. There were plenty more birthday parties to be had, meals to be eaten, holidays to celebrate, and all the other typical childhood growing up things to be done in this house.

I’ve packed up my room before to move to college, but this time is different. Nothing can be left behind and I won’t be able to come home to this house again.

I can take all of my things and my family to this new house, but I can’t take the way the stairs creak too loud when I’m sneaking in late (maybe that’s a good thing). I can’t take the spot on the wall where my siblings and I have all had our heights marked since we were little, and I can’t take the way the house smells every Sunday morning for a great homemade brunch. These memories will always be with me, but they’re not physical things.

Despite all of this, moving on is good and change is always refreshing. Quite like the house I’m currently in, there is another house waiting to have more memories made in. I’m not sure if this new house will ever feel like home, but I have a feeling that it will be great nonetheless.

This new house may not be the home I grew up in, but it will be the house I bring my children to someday down the road. So here’s to new memories with my crazy family. May there be many more birthday parties and holidays to celebrate there. I'm already looking forward to brunch and pictures on a new front porch.