So for the past several months it would be an understatement to say that I have been feeling unsettled. We were in such limbo with the sale of the old house and purchase of the new house. And we couldn't even really call it "our new house" because it wasn't really. Not until we signed on that dotted line. But I can say it now.
Our New House.
Forever House.
Even amongst the moving chaos I have felt a sense of calm. The peace that says "you are just where you are supposed to be." And it has been great. And worth it. I guess Husband was right (grrr). Though it didn't really seem like it at the time. But like childbirth, the bad parts just kind of melt away over time and you are left with the good & happy memories and a chubby pink newborn. Except in this case we are left with a 3100 sq. foot dinosaur that was built in 1978. And while the older people who lived here before us obviously didn't subscribe to House Beautiful or watch much HGTV, they did care for the house. You know when people say it has "good bones."And that's really all we need.
The need list looked something like this: at least 2500sq ft (yup), basement or bonus room (yup), at least 4 bedrooms (try 6--one is the playroom/craftroom), potential for open floor plan (yup), good neighborhood/school (lots of young families, awesome schools), good size yard (.3 acre and backs up to a park), in our not very large price range (yup). The want list looked like this: 3 car garage (nope), big master bath (nope), walk-in closet (nope). And just like that chic Sandra says on Property Virgins; it's all about the compromise. So we didn't get a glamorous master bath with a walk in closet right this minute (though we have some big plans later down the road to remedy that), but we did get pretty much everything and more on our need list. Did I mention we have a peekaboo view of the Columbia River, room in our yard for a pool later on, and direct access to the hardly used neighborhood park?
So if you couldn't tell--we're stoked. Feeling so freaking blessed its unbelievable. We have been here 3 weeks and Chip and I still go to bed and say "I can't believe this is our house." And that's why it was worth the wait, the looking, the ups and downs, the stress. Because, as corny as it sounds, this house has been waiting for us and us for it.
And as for the plans, we've got them. We've started on a couple, some will happen more like in 4-5 years, others maybe when the kids are big enough to all move downstairs, others when the kids move out completely--you get the idea. And I hope to document it all. As we transform this big old beast into our family's Forever House.
