Dawn Isenhower

Once, there was a young couple that wished to leave the city and move to the country where they could raise their family. After saving up enough money, they bought a lovely house that had once been the doctor’s office in a small town. It would be the perfect place for them to live with their 5 small children.

As time passed, the house saw many changes. There were 5 more children born to the couple- 3 of whom were born in the front room of the main floor. A second bathroom was added to the home on the main floor to accomodate the growing family. Day after day, the woman cooked, cleaned, and took care of the children, while the man meticulously cared for the house and its yard.

The house stood strong and beautiful through holidays, birthdays, pets, and 10 children. As the children grew up, they began to buy homes of their own. While some of the children were still growing up, grandchildren started to toddle about the house among them.

Soon after the grandchildren started coming, the house provided a place of refuge after the unexpected death of a son. For a time, the laughter and joy heard in the house turned into sadness. A decade later, the house became a place of mourning once more when the man, who had so faithfully cared for the house, also passed on. The lady, her children, and her grandchildren carried on.

As the years passed, the house grew quiet. The children were growing older and the grandchildren were growing up. Family holiday parties were held in other homes for a while, and then stopped. One of the sons had remained in the house to stay with his mother. In time, his health began to fail and the house witnessed his death.

The lady lives in the house to this day with one of her daughters.

This house was the first thing that I ever fell in love with. I was one of 23 grandchildren who enjoyed its strength and beauty. As a child, I remember the feeling of peace and the security in this fabulous place.

I can still see my grandfather fixing something on the back porch as I would run laps around the house on a sunny afternoon. I can still hear the singing of 7 sisters coming from the kitchen as they cleaned up after holiday parties. I can also hear the sound of my uncle’s bluegrass music breaking the silence of the house. Perhaps my favorite sound in the house occurred when I walked around on the hardwood floor in the living room. (There was one particular spot on the floor that would make the neatest sound!)

For a while, I was afraid that my own children would miss out on the experience of knowing my grandmother and being in her incredible house. As things turned out, my boys spent a great deal of time there when they were in pre-school. In fact, when I was there a few weeks ago, my daughter stepped on a particular spot on the floor just right….

*If you have a house story that you would like to submit, feel free to e-mail the story and a picture of the house to dawn.isenhower@cbws.com. Maybe your story can become a “House Story.”

My grandmother passed away on June 10, 2008 at the age of 94. She is survived by 8 children, 24 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren. The house is being kept in the family.