In the continuing saga of finding a permanent residence for our family, we’ve come to a place where we might have some sense of stability for a time as yet to be determined.
In late April, Temptress and I got ourselves busy on the job of finding the “next” house. Although we could have remained in our current placement for some unknown period of time, it wasn’t an option we wanted to exercise. As I’ve said before, this place was a last ditch effort and we took it because we had exhausted so many other options in housing and were up against a timeline challenge. As a result, we are scrunched (yes, that is a technical term) beyond belief in a dwelling that is financially stretching each month; in other words, too little space and too high a price. Neither is good and together the combination is strangulating.
Knowing our lease was coming to term, the Mommies set to task. By chance we went to look at a place we’d seen before and had previously deemed too small, but with the idea of seeing with “fresh eyes” and knowing the dynamics of our family shifts our needs from time to time, we thought we’d give it another go. It, as expected, was not the place for us. However, fate intervened on our behalf and as we entered that subdivision, we noticed another sign. We took the number and called about what has turned out to be nothing but a near perfect fit on many levels.
There must have been some cosmic level alignment, because all the factors fell into place and within a week’s time, we had secured a family friendly place to call home. Since then we’ve spent weekends over there working in the yard, stripping wallpaper, painting rooms, refinishing furniture, and cleaning remnants of tenants past.
As it turns out, we have a 2 month overlap between leases, so we are enjoying a leisurely move, taking just want we want from day to day to complete the rooms and reorganizing belongings to suit each new room holder. We’ve established a presence in the new place, even though we aren’t sleeping there yet. Each room has something in it, a piece of furniture, a box of toys, some clothes in the closet, or a sign on the door. The house is taking on our “family scent” (as we’ve been told) and when I walk in the door, I feel at home – peaceful and content – that this is a place we can live for a long time and be happy there. We found a house; but we’re creating a home.
~the laundry goddess, May 19, 2009
