Goodbye MikHouse!

We are big Father of the Bride fans around here, and lately we've been quoting this part a lot....

"I love this house. I love that I taught my kids to ride their bikes in the driveway. I love that I slept with them in tents in the backyard. I love that we carved our initials in the tree out front. This house is warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and looks spectacular with Christmas lights. It's a great house. I never want to move. But the thing I think I like best about this house are the voices I hear when I walk through the door."

The Miks are moving! 

The Officer accepted a new job, and we are so proud of him. He'll still be in law enforcement, but with better benefits and better hours, which I think will be great for our family. His new job means we'll be moving to a new city, so we are packing up and moving out of our first house. 

It will be so bittersweet to move out of this house. The Officer and I moved into this house 5 years ago after our honeymoon. It was the first house we ever bought, and it is the only place we've ever lived together. We've (okay the Officer) renovated 3 bathrooms and most of a kitchen. We've (again all the Officer) built a deck and painted every room in this house. We've brought 3 babies home to this house. I know every creak in the upstairs hallway and how to avoid them so I don't wake sleeping babies. This house is warm in the winter, usually cool in the summer, and I do think our Christmas lights always look good. We have taught our kids to ride bikes in the driveway, and I know Belle will miss climbing "her tree" out back. We've all cried and argued in this house, but mostly we've laughed and loved in this house. We will look back on this first house with millions of happy memories, but fortunately wherever we move we get to take those voices we love with us. 

These kids were troopers playing with the 3 toys left unpacked and surrounded by boxes for weeks. They never complained

Things have been crazy the last few weeks as the Officer and I have packed up, fixed up, and cleaned our house with 3 little ladies "helping". We are done though, and our sweet little home will go on the market this weekend. 

"What are we, the Schmaltz family?" We didn't take any doorknobs from our house, but we did say a sad little goodbye. 

We are moving on to our next adventure, which I'm sure will be filled with more love and laughter. First, we're going to have a crazy 6 months while the Officer is away at training. He leaves at the end of July, and he will be 8 hours away from us. The girls and I will be living with family, and I'll have our newest baby while he's away. We'll get through the distance, and then when he's done we'll move to a new city  for more family fun. No matter where we live though, there will always be a lot of love.