Once we began packing up the Rock House, emptying rooms and stuffing boxes, I knew I wanted to have a family photo session at the house before we moved. I’m sure people thought that was silly and I’ll admit that I did worry it would cause more tears than smiles, but I am so glad we did it. My sister met us over at the house on a Sunday morning, the day we handed over the keys. We walked through the empty rooms, laughing and crying, as we recounted our favorite memories from each space. Sophie, especially, was nervous about seeing it empty and asked for a photo in her old room that we could frame for her new room. We talked about the scratched floors being evidence of Beemer’s life. We talked about where the cross came from that had been hanging over the arch for thirteen years. We talked about the different way each room had been decorated over the course of their little lives. It was the sweetest morning — the best farewell — and these photos are just as sweet.
“…you know, love grows best in little houses
With fewer walls to separate
Where you eat and sleep so close together
You can’t help but communicate
Oh, and if we had more room between us, think of all we’d miss
Love grows best, in houses just like this.”
Doug Stone, Little Houses
