When I was about five years old, my twin sister and I were told that we had a new sister on the way and our then current house was not going to cut it. We were moving.
Back then, the move was the be-all-and-end-all of my existence. I was convinced that everyone in my new school would hate me and I was going to be home-schooled for the rest of my life.
Sixteen years later and the most amazing childhood home I could have ever asked for, it's time to move, again.
Moving is hard. Moving with two younger sisters and a dog is nearly impossible.
People say that home is where the heart is, but it's hard to believe them when my childhood home of 16 years is no longer going to exist within the next week.
With one younger sister in high school and the other approaching her final year in middle school, my parents faced the difficult decision of choosing to rent a house in the area or purchase a new home that fits our wants and needs. Renting a home on Long Island that has the ability to fit six people spaciously and is dog friendly was quite the challenge, not to mention extremely stressful.
Being that my twin sister and I are away at college eight months of the year, I didn't think either of us would be affected in the way that we were. My twin and I were convinced that my youngest sister, Alana, would surely take it the hardest, but it has become apparent that she has let go of our house about as easily as an old sweatshirt (with the promise of a new bedroom of course).
Ceara, my 15-year-old sister, is only concerned with the cell service in our new house, leaving Ashlin and I to pick up the slack. The past few nights I have spent with a pit in my stomach, dreading the day we have to move out. Nevertheless, I always go back to my favorite moments spent at Circle Road. The numerous pool parties, birthdays, barbecues, water balloon fights and even a giant slip and slide were no match for our family soccer games.
If someone were to ask me to describe my home the first word off the top of my head would be chaos. With six people, a dog, a cat, 15 chickens and any number of extended family or friends staying over, something is always going on in the Conroy household.
I've definitely had my own internal struggle trying to get a grasp on the situation as it unfolds, but I don't think my family and I could get through this without each other. I have been so fortunate to live the way that I have. I can only imagine the sacrifices my parents have made for our family, and leaving our home is no exception.
When push comes to shove, no matter where my family and I live, we will be together and that's all that matters. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for all you've done to make the past 16 years in that home the most memorable moments of my life. I will never forget that house or the love inside that made it our home.
"Camp Conroy," will continue to spread the memories, only now from a different location.
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