i grew up in a huge house that my father built on a huge corner of land that my dad found back in the early 1970's here in Vegas. i never thought it would happen but after 30 some years of living in that home my parents are moving. the casey home for me was like a mecca. it was the place i returned to remember who i was and all the joy of being little again with not so many responsibilities. it housed so many memories. but in the last few short years as my parents have travelled for years at a time abroad to serve as LDS missionaries the house for me sort of became more of a shell than the treasured home of my youth. it became so big for my parents to care for and there was ALWAYS something broken that my dad would spend his days fixing. it just felt tired and needed new life brought to it. and then there were my parents themselves. after returning from their last mission they ended up spending more time out my way, eating with us and coming to do things with us on this end. the drive between us grew to be a chore. their neighborhood was not what it used to be and though they had good friends still near their home, i met more and more people that i knew they would enjoy out by us. it just seemed that getting to the grocery store and doctor's offices and other errand places would be made so much simpler if they were to find a house further south from where they were. and so the search began. actually it began about a year ago when my mother started going to look at homes without my dad on board. over time, he and she were on the same page: the house was just too big and they needed less space. so the search began with the best realtor in the city, our friend, linda lee, and my parents.
they searched and searched. dad wanted a steal of a deal and mom wanted a beautiful home. we never thought it could be found! they started with a large geographical area between me and my sister's home. and the area grew narrower and narrower to suit my mom's desires. i almost always went with them when they found a contender. it was fun to look at all the inventory. but one day i was not feeling well so i stayed home while they both spontaneously met linda at my home to go look at one house in a neighborhood near mine. i think they were gone for 40 minutes when my mom and linda returned to my home to say they were buying a home! my dad was not there, he had gone to the bank to get money!
that shock was followed with a waiting period full of negotiations and compromises. mom and dad found a buyer for their home and that transaction too had its setbacks but it all worked out in the end. the buyer of their home ended up being just the best blessing for them. they purchased most all of their furniture to remain in the home and they have the perfect family make-up for the home: teens! the new home was a short sale but it closed within two months and met the best of both wants: dad's desire for a good deal and mom's desire for a well-appointed home. it is a one story, in a guard-gated neighborhood just around the corner from my own neighborhood and two seconds away from a grocery store, the church, lowes and target. there is some work they would need to do to it but it has many wonderful features and tons of natural light!
so my parents cleared the casey home. with the help of my youngest brothers who came in town just to help one full weekend and the rest of us here in town helping when we could, they really combed through their 30 years worth of life in the home. so many things went to the donation stores. so many items were given away. so much white unpainted china was given to the china painting society group. and each of us children took our personal items and inherited items that could be taken at the time. it was a HUGE job! it was a little surreal for a time. the more i would drive the long drive in to the center of town to the house, the more i could picture them out in their new home. i was so happy for them. i was sad for them to leave a home that had served our family sooooo long in such a great way. but over time i had been wanting more for them. i had been wanting them to strip away at the clutter and stuff and to own a smaller, clean, well-lighted place. it was just what they found. and after everything was gone from the casey home, it too was a clean and empty space, ready for a new family with teenage children to fill it again with energy and friends.
my parents love their new place though they have lots to do to get it how they want it. and on the last day of owning the casey home those of us in town went over to have a family prayer in the big living room together to just say a sort of "thanks" for all the joys and protection it had given us over the years. i walked some of the rooms and took photos since i'd not seen it like that since the day i was 7 and we first moved in!
my parents in their new home:
and the empty casey home:
the large living room that overlooks the large yard and trampoline.
the laundry/work room. yes! my mom had this as her laundry room with an island full of cupboards that moved around the room as she needed.
my boys in my room which was right by the laundry room. i had the best view down the cul-de-sac from my room. and i loved my wallpaper! all the bedrooms had built-in desk and dressers.
my room continued:
my parent's blue bedroom & bathroom and windows created by my mom and her aunt:
the full-sized basement complete with three boy's bedrooms, full bathroom, and three huge unfinished storage rooms off the main play areas:
one of my brother's bedrooms downstairs:
and the back door shelving station where everything from school and every coat was tossed for 30 years!
finally, my parents with my sister's children and mine the last day at their home:
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