It's not much, but it's home.

Two months ago Traci and I purchased a house. It sits on a 50ft x 150ft lot in College Place and was built in 1947. The house was built as two separate homes, the downstairs is basically a one bedroom with a living room, kitchen and bathroom and the upstairs is two bedrooms with living room, bathroom, dining room and kitchen. The past several decades the house has been a rental and despite the many tenants that have called this house their home, it is in great condition.

Traci's Great Grandparent, (Paul & Ruby Starkebaum) were the first tenants to call this house their home. They had just moved from Nebraska in search of work but despite their great efforts they were faced with moving back east for more work opportunities. It wasn't more than a few years later that Paul was able to find work at Harris Pine Mills in Pendleton. They lived in Pendleton for several years before finding a job as janitors at the Village Church. At that time the Village Church met in the Village Hall at Walla Walla College. Once again they resided at this little house.

In the early 1970's Traci's dad lived downstairs during his time as a college student and has many stories from his younger days with his grandparents. A few things remain from the days when Paul & Ruby lived in the house; the grape vines have taken over the backyard and the apricot tree planted by grandpa Paul is beginning to show it's age.

The house is small, needs attention and we don't have a garage, yet living in a house with pages of family history is exciting, it brings happiness.