House on the market!

Wow! What a week it has been. I had NO idea how stressful it was to put a house on the market - especially with four children! On Thursday we had our realtor and her photographer come and take pictures of our home. I thought I had done a good job cleaning, but the second they came in the door, somehow I saw fingerprints and dust everywhere I looked! Even with that, I figured this was the cleanest it will ever be and so I thought I would take my own pictures to post as a remembrance of our first little home. We have had a love/hate relationship with this house, but all in all we have very tender memories. The past five years here have been difficult and triumphant. Talmage has worked like a slave and I have been treading water. We are SO grateful to finally be at the end of all of this training (14 years to be exact!) and live a little more "normally." Actually, this year has been great. Talmage's fellowship has been wonderful and we have seen a lot of him. We have been so blessed and we really appreciate all the prayers and support from so many. Thank you! Here is my top 5 love/hate memory list:
LOVE HATE
Love 1. Memories of two children's births and my children growing up.
Hate 1. Ladybug plague in the spring. I still can't figure out how they get in the house. aaggh
Love 2. Watching my boys get on the school bus and waving good-bye out the window. :(
Hate 2. A squirrel tormenting me in our vent system for an entire day scratching and running through the house. FREAKED ME OUT!
Love 3. Warm, humid nights with the kids chasing fireflies or "Tinker Bell" as Lila would say.
Hate 3. Spending two summers regrading our entire property. Mud everywhere. Seeding and watering on a strict schedule during blistering hot days.
Love 4. BBQ's and roasting smores out by the firepit.
Hate 4. Long, grey winters.
Love 5. Salt of the earth neighbors and friends.
Hate 5. FIVE people in line to use our ONE bathroom. What I would have given for a "Pittsburgh Potty"