Into The Great Wide Open

[AndrewP]

I agree with the others but also disagree a bit but then, I'm in a very different stage of life and a different person.

My family has been on and around the same piece of land for almost 200 years. I never moved until I went away to school and then soon after getting married moved in to this house where I've been for more than half of my life. I have shrubs that were gifted to me by my grandfather that were from the original farm. I have trees that I planted as saplings that now tower over the yard.

I was thinking the other day as I was walking around the house in pitch darkness - even with 2 black cats who have little regard for cross traffic - that this place is indeed part of me.

My ex adored this house, even with all it's flaws of which there are many. She was moved a lot when she was younger, usually by arbitrary choices made by her father without notice and she loved the stability that this home and I represented. We had been talking about moving and I would have willingly done that for her, when she also fell in to her affair.

For S24 I think that this also represents his safe place and is one of several reasons why he is living here with me and not with his mother or on his own. And I also cook with cheese.

But I also agree with the others that home isn't just a place. I think that as long as you appropriately involved your D and that this isn't a shock and that you keep things around her - toys, furniture as "same" as you can that it will be a positive thing for you both.