This week marks the end of my childhood. My parents are moving to Alabama and selling the home that my brother, sister and I grew up in. The house was quite unusual. It was built in 1911. It was a farmhouse set to the side of an apple orchard and a chicken coop. My parents bought it in the early 90's and "popped the top" on it. The renovation took two years. During which they lived in the garage with my little sister while my brother and I were in Georgia with our grandparents.

The house takes up the equivalent of three lots. It has a large sideyard, a patio with a fountain, a detached garage and two huge blue spruce trees right in the middle. My siblings and I all envisioned bringing our own children to play at grandma and grandpas house. Daydreams gave way to reality about two months ago when my dad accepted a promotion at work and my parents decided to move to Tuscaloosa, AL.

The past weeks have been surreal as we have seen people walking through and making offers on the house. I took Mia the play in the yard for maybe her last time yesterday.

Mia's favorite part of my parents house was the fountain. There is a ring of marigolds that goes around the perimeter of the water. Mia picks the yellow petals and throws them into the base. I hate that she does this because marigolds put out a strong scent that I find disgusting. Her hands become sticky brown from the flower.

When the flowers no longer satisfy her, she will run in a full sprint across the grass to the rock garden. It's covered in pine straw from the spruce trees that butt up against our neighbors fence. She gathers the straw and runs it to the fountain. She flings the sticks into the water.

It was hard to not feel sadness at her happiness. I knew she would probably not remember this place. I would have to remind her with pictures and describe her joy back to her. Part of Mia's childhood will also end this week. It's hard to not try to hold on but at a point we all have to let go.