Where I Come From

My first house is located in Farragut, Tennessee, just 15 minutes west of Knoxville. I lived here for only the first four years of my life. In 2008, my parents relocated the family to Murfreesboro.

On the outside...

The house is two stories tall but only appears to be one from the street. It sits on a steep hill, downhill from the road. The driveway is about a 40-degree angle, impairing my abilities as a 4-year-old to drive a Barbie Jeep up it. 

Next-door are the neighbors, Pam and Larry, who live on a slightly flatter piece of land. Their back porch looks over the house and all two of their stories are visible from the road. 

Outside the front door stands a small Japanese maple tree that blooms a beautiful red every year. Growing up, I would climb the six-foot tree and make myself comfortable on a seat-shaped branch. The tree remains, but I wouldn’t subject it to my full bodyweight now. 

The house has a big, beautiful wooden back porch on the second level that overlooks the city of Farragut and has a view of mountains one can imagine from an East Tennessee home. Under the rickety, hand-built wooden staircase, a tire swing used to hang.  

On the inside...

The top level contains three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room and the chilliest (hand placed) stone tile floors, leaving the bottom floor as a private apartment. My parents took advantage of this basement apartment, renting it out to a young couple from the church. 

My earliest memories were formed in this house, and there are many more to be made. The house was owned by my mother’s brother, my uncle Dale. He rented it out to my parents after marrying his (third) wife, Cathy, in 2005. After we left Farragut for middle Tennessee, Dale and Cathy moved back in. 

Where we're at now...

My uncle passed away in February of 2025, six years after his wife. The house is now in the hands of my mother, Dale’s power of attorney. 

Dale was in the process of selling the house and accepted a cash offer only two days before he died, leaving us with a buyer if we so chose to sell. There’s not much tying my family back to Farragut, except the proximity to my father’s family in Oak Ridge. The house would be a nice option to stay in while visiting, but otherwise it’s not worth keeping and paying utilities on. 

Growing up in Knoxville left me with a love for the outdoors and travel. Hills surround the city, and the Great Smoky Mountains are a short drive away. Moving to Murfreesboro was ultimately best for my family, but the mountains are always calling my name.

My grandmother lived just outside of Seattle for much of my life, giving ample opportunity to visit the pacific northwest. My mom grew up skiing, hiking and kayaking, instilling a sense of adventure in me and my sister. 

I would love to move back to Knoxville, but I know there are better opportunities waiting for me in bigger places. Since moving to Murfreesboro, my parents have each earned a bachelor’s degree, made a career for themselves, bought a house, put two daughters through college and my father has even received his master’s degree. Had we stayed in Farragut, life would look a lot different. 

I adore that house. Now, there’s no tire swing under the porch, the beautiful view has been obstructed by the new Top Golf and there’s no Barbie Jeep trucking up the steep driveway.

But some things never change. The stone floors are still too cold for morning feet, the staircase still shakes when you go down to the backyard, the Japanese maple tree still blooms every year and Pam and Larry are still kickin' it next door.