a house becomes a home

(if we can't sign on the 20th, I will just die!)

(the balcony that Carlos tells his stories from)

(Oh, and the swing set stays but I think, if BB and KD agree,

we will move it to

Bean's backyard. HOBL thinks it is the better place

for a grand swing set.)

(St. Charles is the name of this new orleans style home)

If I was not completely in love with the house

before Wednesday, I am now.

When I, BB, Kd and bean went on Wednesday to

do some measuring, we were privileged to

meet the "man of the house".

The one who's blood, sweat, and tears were put

into this house. Carlos is his name.

The minute I opened the door, this big,

black teddy bear of a man greeted me,

"Welcome Home!"

He is my kind of person, a touchy, feely,

story telling owner. He then precedes to lead me

around the house, telling me everything that I

am interested in knowing.

He laughs when I tell him his "Man" cave is about to

become a "WO-MAN" cave. Carlos has a story to tell

me about that spot but he can't tell it unless we actually

go to that room. We walk up the grand stairway and

to the scrap room. He opens the door to the balcony

and we stand there as he scans his hand over

the horizon. There is bayou Jacob, the highway called

Bayou Jacob and a sugar cane field.

"Over there you will get the most beautiful sunsets

with cool breezes. He shares that a friend of his

came to visit and landed up staying there to write a book

on the balcony, watching the sunset each night.

Carlos also tells me that one day he was laying

his last piece of sod to the back yard.

He was tired, thinking about his grandfather who raised

him after his father died. He said he turned towards

this balcony and he just felt like his grandfather

was standing up there with his arms folded,

hand on chin nodding his head yes, saying:

"You have done well for yourself, son.

I am proud. Very, very proud.

Oh I want to hug a man who speaks like this.

I don't though, I hold myself back.

There are many stories to be told about the back yard.

In one corner of the back yard there is a cement flower bed.

There is two rose bushes. Carlos says that corner

is called the corner of love.

Why? Because the rose bushes that grow there are the

actual rose bushes that were used for he and his wife's wedding.

So many stories surround this home, I wrote them all

down in my journal to never be forgotten.

I love the fact that I am moving into a home

that is not only basically brand new but is being

sold by the family who had it built.

As we stand in the foyer saying goodbye,

he tells me he will cry when he closes the door

to this home for the last time.

He tells me this as he stands by the stairs where

the back wall is dedicated to all his family photos.

Then I can't resist, I hug him goodbye. I thank him

for loving this home and promise him that

we are people who live in a home, fall in love

with its bones. I assure him that this home

will be treasured and if we ever sell it, his stories

will be told. He gets teary-eyed to this.

Yes, the new house has already became a home to me.

Cannot wait to add my own memories to those walls

as Bean grows up knowing this as Mumsie and Pappy's house.