Old House Love Letters #2: To My Children
With Mother’s Day just passed, and Father’s Day coming soon, I thought now would be the perfect time to share this post with y’all! I’m dedicating this love letter to my two children. It’s the second post in the new blog series here at White and Woodgrain called “Old House Love Letters”! (The first love letter was dedicated to my Granny and you can read it here.) If you don’t know much about our story, we completely re-built our family’s 1800’s farmhouse here in Eastern NC. This new series is where I plan to share a deeper, and more personal perspective on our farmhouse. I hope this series helps show just how much it means to us to be able to call the farmhouse home! So now that you’re all caught up, I present to you Old House Love Letters #2: to my children…
To my Shuggy and my Sassy, it may be many years before you read this letter. And many more before you come to truly understand all that I have to tell you.
There are things you need to know about this little white farmhouse of ours, and this little piece of land you named “the old dirt road”. It’s a magical place we live in! There’s a history here that’s bigger than all of us. There were many who walked here before us, who called this place home… Honestly, there were many who slept in those old metal beds of yours too! You know your mama loves her antiques! But my point here is that this place, and our home is our home because of that history. We get to live here because of the generations of our family that came before us. That’s something to always remember and to honor.
I didn’t grow up living in “The Old House”, but that’s where Granny Tot was born and grew up. It’s where I came to visit her and Papa as a child. I never wanted to leave! Gigi can attest to that!! And your Gigi grew up in “The Old House” too!
I have always felt a pull, and a longing for this piece of ground. I think much of that was because of Granny Tot. But knowing the history of our family in this place, I now believe there was always more to it than that. It’s the magic I was mentioning to you earlier! There’s a sense of belonging that you get knowing your mama’s mama’s mama walked the same trails you love to walk through in the winter time. And from seeing your great grandaddy’s name written in his handwriting on the wall in the living room. It’s a reminder every day that our roots run deep in this place.
I am a part of the last generation in our family to have ever slept in the “Old House”. The two of you are the first generation to grow up here in the new / old farmhouse. And because you’re both so little, I know you won’t remember this place the way it was before. Y’all are a big part of why I feel so passionate about documenting everything I can about “The Old House“. I never want you to take for granted the history of this place, or the generations who came before us… and so I’m writing little things down for you as I go. I’m tucking away bits of history in picture frames you walk by everyday. And in photo albums you may pull out years from now to flip through.
I promise to always share that history with you as best as I can! You see, our family’s history and ultimately our roots here is the magic! It’s what makes this place home. And keeping the history alive from one generation to the next is the way to keep the magic alive! I know God has big plans for you both! And there’s no way to know where you’ll end up when you spread your wings one day… but I promise that no matter where your life takes you, this “old dirt road” and all of its wonder will always welcome you back home! That’s just one of the many blessings that comes with having roots and wings…
Love you both always, Mama…
