Stress!

 The last few weeks have been extra stressful for our family.  We received news that our already expensive rent was going to increase and not just a little. We weren't expecting a blow like that. One little email changed a great day into a day full of uncertainty.

We quickly set to work  crunching numbers and looking at different options. Finding another place to rent in our area was quickly crossed off the list since all rents in our area are up that high.  So we either go and live in a part of town that wouldn't be as safe or we needed to do something different.


We switched our strategy and started to think perhaps it was time to buy. No, we knew buying something in our neighborhood wouldn't work. Prices for homes here are out of our price range. We started to look a little farther out of the area where we could afford and the commute wouldn't be too bad.

Three days after receiving that email we were in a new community about an hour from where we currently live looking at houses with a realtor. He showed us two houses that night. The first was nice and could work but there were things about it we didn't like. He took us to a second and just getting out of car I remember saying "I like this place better". We went into the back yard first since he was having a little difficulty getting the code to open the front door.  The big back yard was eye popping. Nothing we had seen in this area had such a big yard. We were almost sold right there!

We finally got to go inside and tour the house. It isn't a big house, only 3 bedrooms, but it does almost double our living space.  The house had been put on the market that day.  We went home and thought and prayed about it. We put in a bid for the house the next day. They received several offers that week. The housing market in CA is crazy! We finally were told, about a week and half after we initially even started looking at houses that our offer had been accepted. The fun, eyes rolling!, then really began.

Getting all the paperwork done for a home loan and such is a lot of work. My poor husband has been stressed out beyond anything trying to meet the tight deadlines that getting this house is demanding. But today we can officially say the house is ours, our loan is approved, and we are moving.

We are a little sad to leave. We have been in this town since we married. Our kids don't really know of any other place. We have had years and years of memories made here. We are a little nervous about the changes that will have to be made in our lives but at the same time we are excited. New experiences are like that.

We are gathering boxes to move our plethera of books.  I have already started to weed out many to donate to the library. The boys have already packing up some of their legos. There is a lot more to dig through and pack up. That is one good thing about moving. We will get rid of a lot of the stuff that is just hanging around that we don't truly need. What a fun couple of weeks we have before us! At around Halloween time we will be in our new home. That is some fast turn around.

The stress isn't over yet! I hope we make it.