Sold!

In March of 2000 Bruce and I signed papers to buy our first house.

And today, after two years of...hassle, that house is sold! Getting it sold is a long story, and one which I'm saving for my summer summary. For now, I'll leave you with a tribute that Jason wrote (for his public-speaking class) about our little house:

Five thousand, seven hundred, forty-three city units west and four thousand, three hundred, sixty units south of Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah is the place that I call home, the place where I was raised. In the summer there you can hear a mariachi band every Saturday night from someone's nearby party, or in the fall each week the cheers of a crowd and the celebration of a band playing as the high school has their weekly football games.

The house sits peacefully on a slight slope overlooking the valley, like a hiker admiring a view amidst a suburb all beside it; it is content to stand and do its job as a home resolutely, forever in its way, despite the environment within. It sheltered a man and his wife with not one or two or three, but eight children for fifteen years, many of whom had never seen another house before. Throughout the years it heard screams of laughter as they played, and screams of pain as they fought; it was the keeper of singing and classical piano, and love within, and a place to rest from play without. Most years a tomato jungle grew out back, like a lion's mane behind his head, and at the bidding of my mother dear, we children learned to work hard here.

There were many nights that I would rest beneath the peach tree, looking at the stars and enjoying fresh-picked fruit, and wherever else I ever go, I'll still remember the warm summer air and sweet Latin music from that place that, as a child, I called home.

This house was a good home for us.