Fast-forward 12 years to Sunday, June 22, 2014:<\/p>\n
- \n
- All 7 of you, my beloved grandchildren, were together at 44 Waterloo for one final time.\u00a0 The \u201cbig house\u201d (8,000 square ft. across four floors) had been sold and Grammy and I were moving out in two days.<\/li>\n
- why are we moving?\u00a0 It\u2019s too big and way too expensive and we want something manageable.<\/li>\n
- Ben is 11 years old; Emma 8; Camden 8; Ainsley 6; Molly 6; Jack 3 and Madigan 2.\u00a0 The big house was \u201cGrammy and Papa\u2019s house,\u201d a place that will stay within your memory banks for most if not all of\u00a0 your life (except Jack and Madigan).\u00a0 Six of you literally went from tiny babies in diapers to self-functioning, independent spirits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
It\u2019s impossible to remember everything we said and did together at 44 Waterloo.\u00a0 Some of your memories will undoubtedly be shaped by the word \u201cbig\u201d \u2013 after all it was<\/em> a bit of a\u00a0 monster with five bedrooms, four floors, seven bathrooms, a giant attic, a hot tub room, exercise room, massively gorgeous kitchen and a warm and inviting office (mine).\u00a0 It had three decks and a big front porch.<\/p>\n
The rooms you will probably remember best are the big \u201cbasement\u201d (as you called it), aka family room aka Larry Bird room aka Man\u2019s room.\u00a0 And of course running across the beautiful kitchen and giant \u201cGreat Room\u201d with the wood fireplace.<\/p>\n
So many memories!<\/p>\n
Sunday dinners, all together.\u00a0 The sweeping views of the saltwater Piscataqua River from the kitchen and Great room.\u00a0 \u2018Hikes\u2019 down to the \u201csitting rock\u201d and \u2018brook.\u2019\u00a0 Carefully walking down the 59 steps to go across the metal bridge to the big dock. Playing baseball, football, soccer on the front lawn.\u00a0 Sitting on top of the pool table.\u00a0 Me making \u201cPapa Corn.\u201d Playing baseball and football in the basement.\u00a0 Playing \u201cdogcatcher.\u201d Playing \u201cSmoke on the Water\u201d (Loud) in the basement in between periods of our knee hockey games, strumming our fake guitars.<\/p>\n
There are hundreds<\/em> more.<\/p>\n
It was a loud house that\u2019s for sure \u2013 whenever we got together we noticed how the sound escalated because of the room size and high ceilings, especially the Great Room where the ceilings were over 20 feet high.<\/p>\n
For our last get together, Grammy and I did four special things:<\/p>\n
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- we had a \u201cburn party\u201d in the fire pit, burning boxes upon boxes of old business papers. Everyone joined in.\u00a0 Jack, I think you liked it best!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ben.papabeaupreblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/IMG_1608-1024x682.jpg\" "\\"IMG_1608\\"")
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<\/a>2. we had our last Sunday dinner together at 44 Waterloo and everyone actually looked at me and the camera!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ben.papabeaupreblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/IMG_1600-1024x682.jpg\" "\\"IMG_1600\\"")
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3.\u00a0 we got together \u2013 the seven of you and me, and then I gave you these instructions: \u201cWe\u2019re going to run through every single room in this house, across all four floors.\u00a0 And while we\u2019re running we are going to scream and holler and make all kinds of noise.\u201d\u00a0 And that\u2019s what we did \u2013 starting with the Great Room floor, then into the basement, then to the third story, then to the attic.\u00a0 It was a crazy, wild, funny way to say goodbye to 44 Waterloo, to Grammy and Papa\u2019s house, to YOUR grandparents house.<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0 we took an official photo in front of the house:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ben.papabeaupreblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/IMG_1599-1024x691.jpg\" "\\"IMG_1599\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe big house may be gone from our lives, but each of us will remember something special about it.\u00a0 That\u2019s the best part, isn\u2019t it?\u00a0 The memories we create.<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong> That\u2019s all any of us ever<\/em> leave behind in the end.\u00a0 Remember this \u2013 always.\u00a0\u00a0 Make sure when\u00a0 people think about you they will be filled with positive, inspirational, kind, fun, uplifting thoughts.\u00a0 Those are the best kind of memories because they fill people\u2019s souls with warmth, sunshine and smiles.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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Grammy and I moved into 44 Waterloo in February 2002.\u00a0 Things were different back then, let me tell you why: Josh and Nicole, aka Mommy and Daddy, aka Auntie Nicole and Uncle Josh weren\u2019t married yet.\u00a0 They tied the knot … Continue reading
- we had a \u201cburn party\u201d in the fire pit, burning boxes upon boxes of old business papers. Everyone joined in.\u00a0 Jack, I think you liked it best!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ben.papabeaupreblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/IMG_1608.jpg\" "\\"IMG_1608\\"")
<\/a>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ben.papabeaupreblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/IMG_1601.jpg\" "\\"IMG_1601\\"")
<\/a>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ben.papabeaupreblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/IMG_1605.jpg\" "\\"IMG_1605\\"")
<\/a>2. we had our last Sunday dinner together at 44 Waterloo and everyone actually looked at me and the camera!<\/p>\n