JAM: Homeowners!

It has been about five months since we bought and moved into our new home. I was feeling behind about writing about it but I have needed a some time to emotionally settle in and really be very content and excited about our new house. Our search for a home began and ended within a few days, not the leisurely pace I expected, where we would see enough houses to really feel comfortable and know which one was "the one." The real estate market in Portland is very strong and and so a well-priced home will be gone within hours, with multiple offers, above asking price. My exact nightmare scenario for purchasing a home. When we walked through our eventual home I felt more of a sinking feeling, knowing that this was the one, but not in an excited way, but in a "Oh man, we are going to probably buy this house and I have to decide right this second" kind of way. I don't process large change very well--I get overwhelmed easily and was essentially in shock. After it was done, I couldn't even remember the details of the house. I did not take any "before" pictures--it felt silly and like taking a picture of someone else's house. Also, the owner was always there and liked to make things awkward at all times. The original wood floors were in terrible shape, it needed all new plumbing, and all the finishes were either outdated or not to my liking. It's easy to picture changing everything when walking through a house, but after closing it suddenly felt like too much to handle. I also found out I was pregnant right around all of this so I was essentially a crazy person. However, before we moved in we refinished the floors and removed some popcorn ceiling and it really started feeling so much better. The floors came out beautifully and they are my favorite part of the house. We were really ready to get out of our condo and let the kids be loud and run around without sharing walls with angry neighbors. Even though we all share a bathroom now. But we have a garage! It may not have automatic closing doors or drywall but its practical storage is beautiful to me.

After my parents visited and we coated all the interior walls of the house in a nice bright white (my dream for so long!), my mind really started settling. Many months later, we are still configuring and reorganizing and I have loved doing things that feel more permanent and grounding than when we rented. More importantly than scheming about new kitchen renovations, we have moved into a great neighborhood near some good friends of ours and kids Theo's and Margot's age nearby, a great school within walking distance, and a closer proximity to anywhere we want to go. I also have a very nice maple tree in the backyard that just makes me happy. Jon is doing big-boy things like entering crawl spaces, buying small power tools and replacing small appliances (with help). We are the most inexperienced and unknowledgeable DIY-ers in the world but we are figuring it out one doorbell replacement at a time. I'm so glad I had Jon to hold my hand through this process and trust in his confidence that this would be a great move for us. It has been, and we are excited for everything the future holds!