I once had an office to organize all of my projects, big and small...my scrap-booking business and hobby, photography stuff, paperwork for Bible Studies, the kids' many activities, not to mention our bills and other household things. Last spring I gave up the office to make a play room for the kids. So, now we have a desk in our bedroom. And there are usually stacks of paper from the many things I do (soccer, Cub Scouts, school things...etc etc) that I can't always tackle, given that I'm busy with 3 kids. Our bedroom is hardly the restful, tidy sanctuary that it should be. I didn't really want to part with the playroom, either. The boys share a bedroom and the playroom gives them a place to go (and keep all of their STUFF) in the morning to allow Baby Girl to sleep. And the oldest boy now says he'd like his own room...sometimes he just wants "alone time."
Yes, we have gotten puzzled looks and tones of voice when we say we would like more space. Some act as if we don't really have a right to want more space. When it comes down to it, this is about our family. It's about where we'd like to go, the kind of environment we'd like to provide for our kids, and the longevity of our living space. If our seeking out of a larger home offends anyone, I do sincerely apologize, but we are moving forward with this plan in prayer and with wisdom and guidance.
Ultimately, we'd love for our new home to be a place where much fellowship will take place. I've mentioned we'd like a guest room so I can accommodate nephews and nieces with ease, as well as other guests. We'd also like enough space to be able to welcome groups to come and be a part of our lives. I'd love to be able to host our Cub Scout den for our monthly meetings. Life groups and Bible studies from church. Many many possibilities. I want our home to be a place that people are welcome to come, stay awhile, and feel like it's their home, too.
Since I am, admittedly, a perfectionist, and a very self-conscious one at that...it has been difficult for me to have a "the door is always open" frame of mind in this home. I regret that's the case, but with 3 young kids, constant messes and tornado-like ambiance, I am often embarrassed when people pop by unannounced. It goes to that deep self-conscious part of me - the one that doesn't want anyone to know that I can't always keep up with everything and yes, my house gets messy, and yes, I haven't scrubbed the toilet in a month and I have two little boys who don't have the best aim, and I have crumbs on the counter, and there's pug poop on the lawn so the kids can't just run out there without planning... So, it's not that I don't want people to come by. I do, I really do! I just don't always have it together, and I don't want anyone else to see messes in my house. It's silly, I know...it is. When you are organized by nature, a perfectionist, self-conscious...and just plain don't have enough energy to keep up with yourself and your own demands...it's hard when people pop by.
All that to say...I'm confident and hopeful that if I had more space to be organized (I mean, the file cabinet and kids' craft supplies are in the closet with my clothes and shoes right now...), mainly have an office...the kids had their own rooms with their own stuff (without the need for a playroom in that case)...I would be able to have everything where it's supposed to be. I would breathe a little easier. I would be able to stay more on top of things. I'd be more free to get down on the floor with the kids and read a book or play games. I wouldn't feel the weight of these walls and all the messes they contain. If I can have more space to be organized...I can be more of the person I truly am, who is hospitable, welcoming, and who longs to share her home with others at any time. I don't expect everyone to understand what I'm saying...but I think we'll find great freedom and more peace with more space.
We had originally planned to put our house on the market at the first of the year. As the time loomed near...it just didn't feel right. There were so many things we needed to do to the house first, and with 3 kids...boy howdy, it can be hard to find the time and energy. We kept pushing the date back. We kept praying, asking for wisdom and the ability to be clear on what God was calling us to do, when His timing was made clear to us. We didn't want to be hasty, and yet we didn't want to miss out on any houses that came on the market that would be a good fit for us. We decided to aim for April 1st.
It's important to us that our kids be able to attend the same elementary school where our oldest attends now. We have spent 2 years building relationships with other parents, teachers, staff, and we want to continue to nurture those friendships and let our kids grow together! I'm already excited about the siblings of students that will be in Baby Girl's class in a few years! With that important factor, it places our home search in a little box on the map. In a way, that makes things more difficult since our choices are limited. In a way, that makes things easier since our choices are limited! We have watched the real estate listings for the area since October or so. We know what has come and gone. We are starting to know the floor-plans of each home in each little tract of homes. We know what will work for us and what won't. Each little tract is different and has its own appeal. We have a few floor-plans that are very desirable for us and we're hopeful one will pop up for us soon.
When we first started thinking about moving, I was pretty against having a 2-story. Hubby said he'd be fine with one, but I was just thinking about how much work it was going to be for me to keep Baby Girl safe on the stairs, chugging laundry up and down...etc. Then I started noticing when I went to friends' 2-story homes...all of their messes were contained upstairs. Hmm...we might be on to something here. Keep the bottom floor ready for people to pop in, and just get to the bedrooms upstairs when I can. Okay, I'm in! But, the tricky part is, if it's going to be 2-stories, then our 4 bedrooms need to be on the same floor. My babies are just too little to be on a different floor from us. Most of the homes available in our area have 3 up and 2 down...or 2 up and 2 down...of all the 2-stories for sale in our area now, not one has 4 bedrooms on the same floor.
We missed our April 1st self-imposed deadline to put the house on the market. We just weren't ready. Then we decided to get through Easter, then put the house up the following Monday. We actually followed through with it, by golly. We worked our tails off getting things ready (Hubby had to repair our dog gate, we touched up paint, de-cluttered like crazy and rented a storage unit, took down many personal photos, I rubbed out scuff marks on doors and walls...etc. etc.). It was so strange to watch our agent stake the FOR SALE sign in our front yard. Well, here we go. I took pictures of the house inside and out and they were uploaded to the real estate listing the next morning, Tuesday, April 26th. And then a little less than 2 weeks of craziness began. We got our first call Tuesday night for an agent that wanted to bring clients the next morning.
And for days the kids and I stayed away from the house for 9 different viewings. I joked that we lived in the van. I had a stack of mail in the front seat and always had our lunch ready so we could leave the house available for agents. Not to mention, it stayed clean when we were gone. Luckily we had many things to keep us busy - piano, swimming lessons, Scouts, t-ball practice, etc. By Thursday, we had our first offer! And Friday, our second. WOWzers. So fast. So...weird. Neither offer was acceptable, so we countered both. One dropped out, the other countered our counter. By the next Tuesday (one week after being listed) we received an offer than was almost acceptable to us. We countered back, then they accepted it. Friday, May 6, we officially signed the contract to sell our home - 10 days after it was listed.
So...if there was any doubt that we weren't hearing God right, that this wasn't the right time, well...it was blown out of the water. Boy howdy, was it the right time! What a tremendous blessing. I don't know how much longer I could have kept the house "show ready" with the 3 kids. And in the midst of it, I had a terrible cold, no chance to really rest, and I lost my voice from the illness - and I had to field real estate agent calls all day. Well, God ensured I didn't have to keep that up for very long at all. I still am in awe of how quickly it sold. Hubby did a good job of keeping on top of the area home sales and pricing it fairly and accurately - a definite key to selling a home quickly. I feel for those who have had their home on the market for months, or even years...it's a stressful process!
On May 7th, I put a holding deposit on the only apartment in the school area that would work for us. There are two complexes. One doesn't allow pets. So, that choice was made for us. There was only one 3 bedroom apartment downstairs available (no way am I doing an upstairs apartment with the 3 kids and 2 dogs that can't climb steps) - so, I put $100 down for them to hold it for us for 2 weeks. Our house escrow is set to close on June 20th. This means we'll have to pay a few weeks extra rent, but it's worth it to have a place to stay and the kids are able to stay at the same school. An apartment again, really? It's temporary...it's temporary...hopefully very temporary!
May 28th was our apartment "move in" day. It was the day we got our keys anyway. No way are we moving into the apartment any sooner than we need! We have been moving random things into the apartment little by little. Our minivan has doubled as a moving van very nicely! Mainly we've moved in a lot of toys I'm tired of picking up at the house. Baby Girl's room has the most in it - we moved her rug into her room and a lot of her larger toys. The kids go back to her room and play with those toys while I unload the van. It's nice to be able to keep them occupied, and I think it will help in the transition from the house, too, as they (mainly Baby Girl) get used to playing there. They are always excited to go to the apartment!
May 28 - the day we got the keys to the apartment
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