This weekend we had the closing on our house in Milford.

We bought this house in 2003 and moved in on December 1st of that year. It was the first house we owned (well, the bank was kind enough to hold our mortgage) and we have so many memories there.

This was the house that Andrea and I learned what it is really like to be married. We grew so much here. We had times of great joy and laughter. There were times of some big arguments and fights. We cared for one another here and shared our dreams for our lives together.

This is the house that our two girls came home to. Abbie was born in 2007 and Chloe in 2010. There are so many memories of their early years. Sleepless nights, endless cuddles, dance parties in the kitchen, singing to them as they fell asleep, and the list could go on.

This house was a center for our ministry to students. One year, at Christmas, we fit around 60 kids and another 10-15 adults in our house. We let kids eat in our bedroom and in any place where they could find a spot. We had college/young adult studies here with so many great conversations and memories (Chris- I did take the toilet out. Do you want it?). As we had the chance to lead a church, we routinely had families over for dinner.

The night before closing, Andrea and I went to the house one final time to make sure we had everything out. We talked through these memories and said a prayer. We thanked God for the home God provided at just the right time. We thanked God for the memories. We prayed for the new owner that this home would be a blessing to him and that he would encounter God’s love and peace in this home.

While our Milford home would be challenging to fit our family in now, and the home God has provided in Dover is home for us, Shawnee Acres will always hold so many memories for us.