Home for the Holidays?!?! NOT.

SO. Since putting the 22-Year-Cole-Family-Dreamhouse on the market last weekend, mom and dad have had a steady stream of visitors all week long last week, followed by a very successful Open House on Sunday. They have had two offers already and finally decided to accept one of them. Which is semi-good news. The facts are, no matter what they are moving and it might as well be sooner than later. I think for my mom, it would be easier to just cut the cord and go. But at the same time, the news that they are being asked to be out BEFORE THANKSGIVING I think is tough to take. It's at least extremely tough to take for ME!! I spent the hour before falling asleep last night trying to figure out what to do with myself while I cried my eyes out. I'm not a big touchy-feely kind of person, so when I cry, the last thing I want is to be hugged or touched. I'd prefer to cry on my own and not be messed with... Which left Niles in a bit of a quandary. Poor guy. I think he was digging through our junk drawer for my old therapist's number. just in case. I thought, okay, I'll sit in bed, cry somewhat silently, while listening to my iPod and looking at magazines. Unfortunately, that was not at all therapeutic. So, I just caved and went to sleep to the sound of Wedding Crashers. What... does that not seem appropriate? What's more therapeutic than Vince Vaughn?!

Today I was watching Larry King Live about the California fires, and realized I actually know a lot of people in San Diego that I have not checked in on! So, I emailed my friend Janie, and got the news back from her that they are all okay and safe. Although, she did let me know that they did have to go pack up valuables from her parents' house... (yes, my friend, I do know that you're probably reading this. I'm RELIEVED and so happy to know you are okay!!!!!) So, her brother, Josh, who is on my blogroll just to your right, has pictures from his driveway of the fires in the distance. It's extremely tough to look at, and it certainly gave me some perspective. All I could think of was how it would not be possible to look out your window and get back in bed peacefully... What a terrifying feeling.

As I continued watching LKL, they interviewed another news reporter who actually watched his house burn down. I think his name was Larry Himmel. Anyways, it was really tragic to hear him talk about - while seeing his completely destroyed home in the background - how he was standing in the driveway where he used to pitch baseballs to his son, and kiss his wife as he left for work everyday. He lived in that home for 25 years, and in the span of a few hours, he lost so much of the tangibility of his memories... I just completely lost it. It occurred to me how grateful I should be that even though we are leaving the home I grew up in, the home we have owned for 22 years, at least we are leaving it with all our memories in tact. All our belongings in place, the basketball goal from 15 years ago still there, the driveway where I found my first car tied with a ribbon (yes, i was spoiled) still there, and the huge front windows where our Christmas tree has always been on display going nowhere. Yes, the new people may take the goal down, yes, they may cut all the ivy off the house, change the landscaping (please!!), keep different cars in the driveway, and perhaps they won't have their Christmas tree in the front windows, but it will still be there. I can always drive by (and I probably will - so watch yourself newbies!!) and check in on it.

So, all that to say, I'm ridiculously sad about the fact that we will never have another Christmas morning on Shady Creek, but so many others are suffering the loss of their homes in a much worse way, and I'm extremely sad for those people, but grateful that I can take away this small comfort and I hope that doesn't seem selfish, but it's true.

I'm on a new mission to find out how we can possibly help those in California who are without homes, and if anyone has any ideas, let me know!!