Moving house: another chapter in our lives but Huw is in every chapter with us

We are moving from Spring Lane after 9 plus years on 19th April – it has been a lovely home and is where me, Huw and Carys had some great times.

As I finish packing up, I reflect on everything I have packed away – the CDs we watched and laughed at – the three of us and some just with Huw. I reflect on the early days at this house, around the time when the photo above was taken – Huw was a young lad of 10.

And I reflect on this football photo which was taken 5 years later when Huw had grown into a perfect young guy. It has been such a reflective time packing his room away, at the same time as watching Carys packing her things up and talking together about old times.  Remembering Huw – watching Carys with me and laughing at her and doting on her.  Imagining what he would be saying now and how he would be growing up with her – still laughing at and adoring her.  Carys is just getting on with her life, but always dreaming about her big brother and loving him just like the rest of us do.

I remember standing with Huw so many times to squeeze another sporting trophy into the little cabinet – it’s a collection he was proud of, and Carys and I still are.  Here are 3 of his favourites – Huddersfield League Cup Winner medals from 2006 and 2007, and Hepworth Player of the Year 2010.  Huw can’t have a room at our new house but we will always keep his things safe.

There are however some things (a few big items) that it has seemed right to pass on.  I’m sure that Huw’s snooker table that he was so excited to get as an 11 year old, will be appreciated by the young people at Holmbridge Youth Group where we donated it, and that his PS3 will be equally appreciated by the lovely young family we have given it to.  We are happy those are the best places for these things that Huw treasured.

We are moving to a rented cottage near Digley (Bank Top Cottage) for 6 months, and we’ll move to a more permanent home in the autumn.  We are both delighted to have such a lovely house to stay in over the summer, overlooking Digley which is a beautiful place, and a very special place for our family.  We’ll be able to see Huwie’s bench from our upstairs window and be able to go walking and running round Digley and past Huw’s bench straight from the front door, whenever we want. We have had happy as well as sad times at Spring Lane, so moving to a new home is an emotional and big step, as we reflect on what happened while we were living at Spring Lane.  Moving to a home that won’t have a bedroom for Huw, and also remembering the happy times that my brother (and Huw and Carys’s Uncle Mark) had with us on visits to Spring Lane, as he has not been with us since his illness in 2008 – I hope he’s up there with Huw, watching down on all of us?  Who knows?

We will wake up in beautiful surroundings on Monday morning, the sun will be shining across the amazing countryside at Digley, the air will be fresh, the birds will be singing.  That will be beautiful – but I know I’ll wake up thinking of a tall, dark, handsome, funny, smart, sporty, engaging 15 year old, with a number 2 on his back – laughing with his sister, adoring his Mum, and smiling at his Dad.

This is our new home at Digley, as we start a new chapter in our lives.  It may be a new chapter but Huw will be an essential and deeply felt part of our lives for ever.  Love as always to you our beautiful boy.