Berit has a book called The Little House that we love to read before bed. It tells the story of Little House when it was built in the 1800s and up to the point when it was surrounded by skyscrapers.
Little House is sad because it can’t watch the stars anymore and everyone rushes by. It also can’t smell the apple trees.
Eventually, the great great great granddaughter finds Little House and because it was so well built she’s able to move it back to the country.
Little House is happy again because it can enjoy the slow life.
I get attached to my homes and like to think of them as Little House.
When we moved from our tiny rental into our home on South Leflore we named it Mega House.
It was huge! Just like me actually, because I was 7 months pregnant at the time.
Our house belonged to the late Dorothy Shawhan, former Delta State English professor, author, and so many other wonderful titles.
She held her last class of each semester on her screened in porch filled with plants.
I took her for creative fiction and non fiction so those classes consisted of reading our work.
She was always encouraging, even when my writing was trash.
I like to think of Mega House as quiet and calm during those days.
It soaked in the stories told and the stories she wrote in her living room surrounded by books.
It kept her warm and safe and comforted.
Mega House was very well read.
A few years after I graduated I had the opportunity to interview Ms. Dorothy in the living room of Mega House for Spotlight
magazine.
She told me about her writing process and what she loved most when reading.
She gave me an autographed copy of Lizzie and once again told me how much she enjoyed seeing my byline.
After she passed, Mega House became available.
At the time we weren’t able to buy a home so I watched as the for sale sign changed to sold.
But then, with a baby coming way sooner than we were ready for, another for sale sign appeared in the yard of Mega House.
We cried and prayed and toured and prayed and cried again.
Eventually, Brett and I sat in the floor of Mega House, with not even close to enough furniture to fill it, and were giddy.
It was unthinkable that we could own something so special. So amazing.
I think Mega House stretched its wooden bones and woke up that day.
It had much to be excited for with a new baby and new adventures.
We painted and cleaned, swept, and laughed.
I placed Lizzie on a stand in the dining room, a treasure to both myself and Mega House.
I think Mega House laughed too, and showed that when the ginkgo tree once again produced bright yellow foliage after having been dormant since Ms. Dorothy left.
Mega House was excited!
In the middle of the night it comforted a tired mom during nursing sessions.
In the day it held strong to the sticky notes of prayer placed all over the walls for that same anxious new mom.
Months later when little hands and feet began to explore the floors I like to think Mega House provided a little extra cushion for some of those falls.
Mega House gave us our first Christmas, our first bath, our first steps.
Mega House laughed as we held celebrations, danced, sang, and played.
Mega House kept us safe when we were sick or scared, and recently gave us that same cushion when we fell to our knees in prayer during a difficult season in our lives.
I’ve never done something as hard as packing up Mega House.
I think Mega House cried along with me I packed up our memories, swept the floors, and ran my fingers across the place where my baby took her first steps for the very last time.
We went room to room and said goodbye to Mega House.
We mentioned a favorite memory for each room and it wasn’t difficult to think of many reasons to smile in each and every area of our home.
We sat on the porch and everyone cried when we closed the door to Mega House one last time.
I know people say a house is not a home and what matters are the people, but after loving and living in Mega House I have to disagree.
Mega House loved us too.
Mega House laughed and played with us, it protected us, it listened to our stories.
We left Mega House and moved into Fancy House— a newborn home that will grow with Berit through the years.
While I look forward to the memories to come, pieces of our family member are here.
One of the doors removed during renovations sits in the living room corner with a wreath.
The brick we used to prop open the swinging kitchen doors is on a shelf in my bedroom.
We won’t ever forget Mega House
I’d like to believe Mega House won’t forget us either.
