The Happy Dance

We put our first offer in Monday afternoon and wasn't sure if we'd even hear anything back since we went so low. Six hours later our realtor called. He talked for a few minutes about how he'd been going back and forth with the other realtor (he's slow at getting to the point). Mike had just put him on speakerphone when he said, "Are you guys ready for this? (we were) They accepted your offer." I accidentally yelled, "Holy shit!" into the phone (luckily he laughed) then proceeded to do a happy dance and basically couldn't sit still for the rest of the night. It was almost as fun calling friends and family to tell them as it was calling them when Joey was freed for adoption.

The woman who lived in the house passed away and her kids were selling the house. They had just lowered the price by $7K and we went $10K under that. We thought for sure we'd be going back and forth all week negotiating. We never thought they'd accept right away. We are ecstatic and can't wait for our closing date.

It was almost spooky how things fell into place. Years ago when I got together with Mike (and left the house I had owned) I told him that I wanted to own a house again by the time I was forty. I don't know why I picked that age, but I've said that over and over again throughout the years. We're scheduled to close March 3rd and I'll be forty March 20th.

When we first started looking I had a little list of things I really wanted in a house, but didn't have to have:

- at least four bedrooms
- a writing room
- a dining room
- to live in a real neighborhood (we've always lived on busy streets without sidewalks)
- an attic that could be finished for extra room
- a basement that could be finished
- an old colonial
- gum wood trim
- at least two bathrooms
- lots of space inside the house
- a garage

It's not an outlandish list by any means, but we didn't see any houses that had everything. Until we walked into our 25th house.

Our new house has everything on my list except the attic and basement are already finished. The night before we took my dad and brother to see the two houses, I prayed (to my mom) that we'd get something we really loved. Never in a million years did I expect to walk into my dream house that night, after we were so sick of looking at houses.

We struggled for ten long years with renting, infertility, bankruptcy and dealing with finances. I didn't know it at the time but from the very beginning things have been getting better and better. We are now at our all-time high with Joey and a new house. It's all I've ever wanted.

Our First Offer

Yesterday we had plans to go look at two houses we were interested in with my brother and dad. They're both extremely knowledgeable about houses and we needed their input.

The first house was shot down almost right away because it had an old electrical box and system that would need to be updated. The second house, and the one we assumed we'd end up putting an offer in for, wasn't much better. It needs a lot of cosmetic work and there's a definite mold problem in the basement. It was treated for mold in October but it's back like crazy in that short amount of time. It's guaranteed for life, but it's $90 every time they come to treat it. Not much of a guarantee if you ask me. My dad and brother still thought it might be worth having the house inspected. It was built in the 60s and hasn't had any updates since. The kitchen floor, wallpaper, counters, some of the houses moldings and trim would all have to be replaced. Not to mentioned the entire house needs a good scrubbing (luckily I know a couple of good house cleaners).

Yesterday morning our realtor emailed me one last house he found that had just come down $7k in price and fit our range. We almost didn't want to see it since we've seen so many, but after seeing how many bedrooms it has, we agreed. On the way to that house last night we were feeling pretty down. The last house we had seen suddenly felt like it had years worth of work, and we didn't know if it'd be worth it.

When we pulled up to the last house, we couldn't believe the size. The paperwork said it was 1698 square feet, but it felt a lot bigger (the last house-a cape cod-was 1848 sq.ft. and felt much smaller). This was a six bedroom colonial with a two bedroom finished attic and a partially finished basement. Not to mention the addition off the dining room that's a bedroom (in our case a playroom) with a gigantic walk in closet and bathroom. It has 2.5 bathrooms (we've never had more than one. And if your one bathroom is occupied and you've been tempted to pee in the tub or in one of your son's diapers, you know what I mean). It has gum wood trim and the dining room I really want. The kitchen is super small, but since my brother makes custom kitchens he had a million ideas and solutions to making a big kitchen.

Everyone agreed it was a solid house and at a great price. After a few hours of thought we called our realtor last night and told him we wanted to make an offer before it's gone. Today we made the offer and now we wait....and wait. I'm praying if and when they come back with a counter-offer it'll keep us in our price range.

I actually called the town's police department to see how the neighborhood was and if they had a lot of calls from there. He said it was a nice and quiet street, which is what I wanted to hear. I'd love to be in an actual neighborhood for a change.

The waiting is the hardest part.

All Housed Out

I never thought the day would come when I didn't want to look at houses, but it's here. For the last ten years I've wanted nothing more than kids and a house. We finally have our kid and next is a house. We've looked at approximately 23 houses, including three today. There is one house we've liked all along, but it needs cosmetic work. I have no problem painting, tearing up carpets, fixing drywall, etc. But we're afraid there's a mold problem in that basement. They had a "treatment" done that's guaranteed for life, but the walls look a mess, so it's obviously back. This is where my brother comes in. Having built houses before he knows what to look for. This house has four bedrooms, two full baths, a laundry room, enclosed back porch and .28 fenced in acres. The downside (besides the possible mold) is it's not in a neighborhood and on a busy road. I guess we'll see what happens tomorrow when we all go to look at it again.

We looked at another house yesterday that was all new on the inside. The kitchen, dining room and living room are one big open room. The kitchen has new counters, cupboards and new stainless steel appliances, plus it's in a neighborhood. The downside is of the four bedrooms, the master would be downstairs, and the three upstairs are very small. The two bathrooms are also very small. It has a cute yard and a 2.5 car attached garage. It's also slightly out of our price range.

We saw one today that's a cape cod with three bedrooms (one down, two up), 1.5 baths and a new kitchen. The kitchen is very tiny, but there's an addition off the kitchen that my brother (who builds custom kitchens) may be able to knock the wall out and make one huge kitchen. Off the addition is a deck and .38 acre backyard. The yard is gorgeous (the front yard is huge too). It has a dining room, but the house feels a little tight to me. I'd really like four bedrooms and it only has three. The basement is dry and could be finished.

My mind is just spinning with these three houses and it won't quiet down. Since we've always like the possible-mold house, if we find out it's too expensive to repair, I'd like to have a backup. I just wish there was one house we just loved all around. I'm driving myself crazy!

Decade in Review & Plans for the Future

The past ten years were the hardest I've been through, but I've also grown a lot in the process. In a nutshell I: Lost my mom and aunt (my two best friends), moved seven (soon to be eight) times, quit a thirteen year career, divorced, remarried, became a foster parent, became an adoptive parent, made two movies, lost my grandma, didn't speak to my brother for two years, reconnected with old friends, got rid of toxic ones, became comfortable with who I am, stopped letting people walk all over me, and started standing up for myself and my family (this was huge), almost lost my step-mother twice to suicide, found my voice as a writer even though I struggle daily with the actual writing, built and ran a writing website for writers, learned who my real friends were when I got divorced, reconnected with my ex-husband and his wife, and we're all good friends who get together now, struggle with family and learned how to say no.

I'm sure that's not everything, but it's what I remember right now. I'm not into making resolutions, but there are a few things I'd like to accomplish from this year on: I want to write every day no matter what. Even if it's just this blog, I need to write something. I want to do my best to stay healthy. I have no self control when it comes to the things I'm not supposed to eat or drink. I'm not supposed to have coffee, pop or alcohol because I have ulcerative colitis, yet I struggle constantly to stay away from coffee and pop (not to mention sugar!). I only hurt myself when I have these things and end up in a lot of preventable pain. I want to drink water, water and more water instead. I want to practice more patience not only with Joey (and Mike), but with whatever other kids we take in and hopefully adopt.

It's not a big list, but it's an important one and one I hope I can stick to.