The three boys are sitting on "the rock" in front of the house that I grew up knowing as Grandma's house and then Dad's house. I know a house is only a house until someone makes it their home. I have so many memories associated with the house in the background, some bad but oh so many good ones. My dad's mom, Frances Hiatt Emberton was a loving and fun grandma. She was the one that didn't worry about embarrassing herself or anyone else, in fact she loved it. When we would go to a restaurant that would sing happy birthday to you - it was always her birthday and she would sing louder than anyone else in the group. She had such a wonderful sense of humor, I believe that it was handed down to my dad who passed it on to me and I believe that she would have absolutely loved the fact that Josh is doing comedy. My grandma was a classy woman that could fit in anywhere but her hugs were so comforting and she always had time to spend with me. We would bake cookies and if they didn't turn out - no big deal we would just bake more. Her potato chip cookies were delicious.
When I walked into the house this weekend for the final goodbye I won't lie, I cried more than a couple of tears. It's familiarity is hard to turn loose of. My stepmother didn't like the house, she always said that she would be glad to be out of the house but I know that even she is a little emotional about saying goodbye. This house is where Grandma was raised as a little girl, then it was sold and she moved to Salem for a job and she and Dad lived there for a number of years. After she married her husband she moved back to Danville and they purchased the house back. The woodwork in the home is really neat and knowing that my ancestors actually made it has always made it seem more special. When you walked into the house the floor would creek in certain spots, they always did. The basement is a wet, musty, cobwebbed one, it always was. The windows are 12 foot tall with shutters on the inside, as a kid it seemed like the ceilings were 50 foot tall.
The rock above has been the photo point for so many pictures over the years. This rock was once in the ground in the yard with only enough of it showing to cause the lawn mower blade to scrape it. Finally Dad decided to dig the rock out expecting it to be something he could dig out with a shovel. After much, much digging this was what was beneath the earth. He decided it belonged in the corner of the yard and it has been there since. As my kids came along we always used the rock for pictures. The rock was the place for all the imaginary ventures. It was a space ship, a boat, a castle, a great place for my daughters to dress in their wedding dresses made of sheets and take pictures. This rock has provided so many "Kodak" moments, I hope the new tenants appreciate the potential of this rock. I also hope that they won't be offended if they look out their window from time to time, when we are in town, to see members of my family jump out of a car and climb on it for a quick picture. I think as my kids have kids and their kids have kids they will continue to be drawn to that spot for that picture. And I believe in my heart, that Dad and Grandma Francie will be there with them, happy that someone is still enjoying the house and the property as much as they once did.
A house is just a house, and a home can be anywhere. Be happy you have a home, make memories to cherish wherever you are planted.
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