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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Reflections on moving, Part 2

As previously mentioned, moving with toddlers is pure madness. But as I reflect on our new home and the reason we moved, the madness was definitely worth it.
I'm home.
Really home.
I'll be here forever home. (Regardless of what Greg might say.)
 
Greg and I had been casually checking out the housing market for over a year in the search for our "dream home." Every few months a home would catch our eye and we'd go see it. Since we weren't in a hurry, we knew we could be picky. At one point, we had even put an offer on a short sale. In hindsight, we were very lucky they didn't take our offer. It simply wasn't our home. This is our home.
 
It was love at first sight. We walked in the front door and Greg was ready to write up an offer. The practical side in me insisted on seeing the rest of the house first. (After all, we did consider an earlier house until we discovered the ceiling in the basement was sagging.) After giddily walking through the home, knowing we had found "our home," we told our realtor we wanted it. Bad. Seeing as we were the seventh people to look at it that day (its first day on the market), she recommended writing a letter to the owners to accompany the offer. In case there were multiple offers, we might as well pull at their heart strings in an effort to get their serious attention.
 
My years writing proposals, reports and grants for nonprofits served me well. In a succinct note to the owners, I succeeded in making them cry. Here's my note:
 
We are very excited about the opportunity to purchase your beautiful home. As a family with two small boys, ages two and a half and one, we are looking for a home in which to raise our boys and grow into. Immediately upon walking into your home, we realized this is the place for us. We could see years of of back yard barbeques, family dinners and holiday memories. Not only do we see it as a perfect home for our toddlers—lots of space to play, nooks and crannies to explore and an open floor plan to keep an eye on their mischief—but we also see it as a perfect home for when they are teenagers, with the great media room and basement, large yard, ideal location and schools.
We appreciate and value the work you have put into your home and the care you have shown it. We will take pride in this home, fill it with new family memories and allow it to tell the story of our family.
Thank you for considering our offer.
 
Now that we are settled in, it's time for the real fun to begin. We get to make this our home, create our memories and begin a new chapter. Oh, and we also get to begin renovation projects. While the 1980's were lovely, it's time to say goodbye to them in my house.
 
My favorite spot.
 
View out our front window (on a beautiful winter day).
 
View out our back window.
 
 The deer who like to play in our yard.

 
I'm home.


4 comments:

  1. I can't wait to see more pics! And well done on your note. I would have picked you too:)

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  2. OK first, your boots in the "title" picture on top are stinkin' fabulous. Second, I love this. I can't wait until we get into our forever home (and out of Texas). Hope the renovations make it even more your own! Miss you!

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