long time coming...

 

It is official.  As of this morning, Jeff and I own our first house.  

This may be our first house, but it is not our first home.  Our first home was a one bedroom apartment on Cheltenham and Monroe Street across from JoJo’s Pizza and Bar.  There was a bright yellow kitchen and no air conditioning.  The bathroom tub was porcelain and no amount of bleach would clean it.  We had wood floors and radiator heat.  We controlled the heat for the apartment above and below us on our side of the building.  Debby, above, was always cold, so we turned it up for her, and lived with our windows open during the winter.  Which really didn’t matter because even when closed, there was always a breeze coming in.  There was a crazy lady who lived in the basement and always knocked on our door needing something – mostly to talk.  This was where we became friends and then fell in love.  We got married while living in this home.  This was where we became pregnant the first time and where we lost our first little girl.

Knowing we needed more space for the family we wanted, we left our little apartment and moved into a townhome.  It wasn’t the house we dreamed of, but it was better equipped for family than the one bedroom on Cheltenham.  We had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a basement that we didn’t have to share and gasp – our own washer and dryer.  No more 10 hour laundry marathons at our in-laws.  We became pregnant here not once but twice.  This was where we brought each of our girls “home” to from the hospital.  These are the windows we’ve looked out while rocking our girls to sleep.  Our little front yard is where we’ve blown bubbles and where Lily has walked her babies in strollers and where we have gone swimming in our little pools.  This home has been good to us.

Finally, we are able to buy our first house.  It feels like we have waited so long, like we have done it all backwards.  Don’t people usually buy the home first, then start a family?  Well, we have always done things a little backwards I guess.  We planned the wedding before the proposal.  The wedding band came before the engagement ring because that is what we could afford.  I guess it all doesn’t really matter in the end.  

our new home - flowers and gardens to come

grass free of neigbors' ciggarette butts - no shoes required

suggestions on how to paint kitchen/foyer/great room are more than welcome
(this is not our stuff)

counter space + seriously amazing fridge that is taller than me
(the one we have is sized for a play kitchen)

finally I will be able to enjoy a summer

 

There are paint colors to pick out, appliances to buy and packing to do.  It is all very overwhelming.  Who has time for this with toddlers and babies?  When exactly am I supposed to pack, clean, paint, organize?  I have no idea.  Thankfully we have a few weeks to get it all done.  Looking past all of that… I simply cannot wait to make this house our home.  So happy.