Moving Out and Moving On

I became a first-time home buyer in 2017. I think I cried more during that process than I did planning my wedding. The stress of finding a place, the excitement of closing day, the let downs of being out-bid, the intimidation of all the contracts and wiring instructions and mountains of papers to sign — it was very hard for me, as a recovering perfectionist, to digest.

But being a homeowner has been a process I’ve greatly enjoyed. Certainly, things like mold, flooding, repair bills, termite bonds, noisy neighbors, community crime, and Sunday night motorcycle gangs made me wish for the simplicity of a first floor apartment or the chirping of crickets back in the country. But the house was mine. The yard was mine. The space was mine. And I worked consistently for four years to make my first house my most successful project. And it was.

I say “was,” because we’re moving. After I worked so hard to get and perfect my first home, it’s time to move on to a new project, new space, new home, and new opportunities to grow, rest, and find community a little further from the hustle and bustle. I don’t know (yet) where we’ll land, but I take it as a testament to the design, maintenance, love, and vibes we’ve put into the house that made it sell after only nine hours on the market. We’re floored. And excited. And homeless.

We’ll figure out the details. Before the anxiety takes over, I am taking a deep breath of gratitude for this space that has held me and my family so safely and beautifully for 4 years. I know the next home will be even better, but here is a place I will never forget.