The House That Built Me

First, I love this song by Miranda Lambert.

Second, there is a lot of truth to this statement – the house that built me. For me, my parents have lived in the same house for 35 years. I grew up there and continue to go home and visit whenever I can. So, when I think about my childhood house, I think about home. I know it’s trite, but home is where your heart is, and for me the house that built me and my home are the same.

The physical house is modest – one floor, one bathroom, three bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry room and a “front room” (aka: foyer). But I can’t talk about this house without mentioning the people who live there.

My mom was a stay-at-home mom who I love dearly. My mom tucked me into bed at night and made french toast almost every morning. My dad was the hard-working bread winner who always took care of us. He coached my softball team and taught me how to drive. My brother is five years older than me, but he still let me play with his Matchbox cars and gave me a ride to school. (Okay, so maybe my mom made him, but I’ll give him a little credit.)

While we may sound a bit like the Brady Bunch…..we kinda were – minus 4 kids and the maid.

In addition to the physical house and the people in it, I am who I am because of where the house is located. I grew up in North Western PA in a small town with a population of less than 1000. There was a mix of dirt and paved roads, no stop lights, farms, 5 bars, 5 churches and wooded hills. I grew up listening to southern rock and country. Our idea of fun included camping, fishing and spotting dear. (If you don’t know what spotting dear is, ask me about it. That could be another blog post.)

So, what does this say about me?

Based on what I’ve shared with you, there are a few things you can know about me.

1. I’m not very materialistic. The home is more meaningful than the house.

2. I love my family very much. My mom and dad are wonderful people.

3. I have an eclectic music taste. Southern rock and country only opened the door to other music.

4. I prefer practical, kitten heels over kill-your-feet, 4-inchers. You can’t hike in heels anyway.

5. I can start a fire and take a fish off of a hook. That’s one thing my husband found (and still finds) endearing.