The House That Built Me

On June 13, 2007, we bought the house that I would grow up in until my eighth grade year. In that house, many memories would be made, many tears would be shed, many laughs would have been had, and all of them would go to waste due to one decision my dad made.

*******************

I remember my first day of school, my house was two blocks away from school, so my mom would walk me there every day. I would see my friends, and we would all talk about every little thing we could. At the end of the day, my brother would walk me back to our house. My brother and I weren’t very close, so we fought a lot. When we did, we had to do something the other wanted to do. We were mainly in my room and he’d play dolls or school with me I even had my own Thanksgiving in my room one time and he joined me, along with all of my other dolls. We’d play wii together and compete in Mario Kart or in golf. All of those memories will be left behind due to one decision my dad made.

As I was growing up, I was sick a lot. I remember coming home from the doctors, and there would be flowers and stuffed animals from my grandpa. Sometimes I got to go to my grandma’s to see my friends, and catch up on homework with Baylee. When I got better, we had a big party at my house. It was so much fun. All of those memories will be left behind because of one decision my dad made.

In third grade, my mom met Jake’s dad, and they moved in with us. I shared a room with Abby, and I remember building tents in my room, playing school or house in my room, and even playing games on our DS against each other. I remember the late night conversations we had with each other, especially the night I cracked my iPod. That was a long night. In the basement, we had a game room, that we’d play pool, basketball, and even air hockey in. We’d watch movies together and one night we even made some really good pretzel things. Nick, his sister,  and I would always come over to my house and play games. He got a really bad bloody nose, we still talk about that story today. All of these memories will be left behind because of one decision my dad made.

In sixth grade, I moved my room to the basement. I remember when there was a bat and I was so scared that I went into the bathroom with my dog Duchess crying and called my mom. I remember how I moved all of my things from my basement back up to my room because I got to re-do it. I remodeled my room last year, buying new carpet, painting it, and buying all new decorations for it. All of the memories (and money spent) will be left behind because of one decision my dad made.

In seventh grade, my brother left for college at Central in Pella. I was so upset and when he comes back we spent a lot of time together, except in the summer because he’s gone a lot working on his racecar. I remember my birthday and how he brought me home flowers and more, thinking about how much closer him and I have gotten. He started coming home every weekend to work on his racecar, and he is currently on his fourth year in the dirt Late Model division. All of the memories my brother and I had will be left behind because of one decision my dad made.

In eighth grade, things definitely started getting worse. Fighting with my mom, drama, and many more things. My parents got divorced last year and it wasn’t good. My mom got the house and full custody of me, but it turned out, my dad didn’t give up there. He went and somehow sold our house without my mom knowing until she got a letter in the mail. How could he do this to Daulton and I? I thought. I screamed and screamed asking why as if I would get an answer. I asked what I did to deserve this, to lose my childhood home, where most of the important events in my life happened. I became furious, having to move and leave my house where I was close to all of my friends, where I created so many memories. I wanted nothing else but to tell him how I felt and to ask him why he was doing this.

***************************

As I pack up my things, I begin to remember everything. Every single holiday, what my room 

used to look like and all the memories in it. How we used to campout in my backyard and how Nick, 

Liz, and I would have an “Olympics” in my backyard too. I remember all my “cooking shows” I 

would have in my kitchen, how many things my mom and I would bake together, Sunday morning

breakfasts Jake, Abby, and I would make, Daulton almost killing me with a wii remote, and most of

all, when I first stepped foot into that house, asking my brother if he liked it and he said yes. I 

remember unpacking my stuff into my new room, not knowing that I would have to pack it all up 

again, just because of one decision my dad made.