Wow, how to even begin to catch up. Life has been roaring ahead over here in this little part of the world. I am beginning to learn that I somewhat like that—in fact I crave change—of course, only good, wanted, purposeful change.
To start we managed to sell our
dreamy home we left behind in California. This was a huge step, in that it enabled us to find a new settling spot here in the city of Portland that we love.
To be honest, I had my eye on this house before our California place was even on the market. I dreamed about it, I held my breath about it, I waited to see about it, I didn't even let myself check up about it... On and on for six-whole-months. The second our place in California sold I had my phone in my hand and was calling our realtor to request to go see it. It was love at first sight again! I say again because this was the same reaction I had to the first house we bought in California. It was right in a place inside me that is not really possible to describe.
I should back up and explain we did drive by it when it first came on
the market and I knew it was the place then too, hence the holding
breath and dreaming. But the very moment of stepping up onto the porch
was such a resounding feeling. It echoed "yes" and I could here my
husband's mind saying the same thing.
The amazing part was, as we stumbled through what we hoped would become the newest member of our family, was that no one had put in a real offer on the house yet, our offer would be the first legitimate one, or so we thought. The price had come down—which was of absolute importance to make the purchase possible—and it was truly like the house sat waiting for us. But, as stories like to go, hours before our offer went in another couple had put in a higher offer and the owners accepted it. I was blow away. Six months of patient dreaming, hoping all ducks would align, to come to the last three hours? The silliest part being that we had the chance to put in an offer the night we saw the house and me, trying to be "reasonable and less urgent then I usually am" agreed to wait until morning to put our offer in. I tend to have ideas and want to jump on them that very minute before I have time think or let the daisies grow.
Well it was a harrowing few weeks as we once again waited, hoping somehow our back up offer would make its way to first position. Each phone call I received I would pounce, hoping there was a 303 in the number which would mean it was from our agent. I swept back and forth between frustration of wanting to make it happen and regret that we had miss-stepped, to the satisfaction that if it didn't happen it was for the best, because how could fate have left it to depend on the last few hours unless somehow "fate" was involved. On a mellow Thursday, when I had finally given way to the fact it really wasn't going to happen, I got a call. I didn't jump, I was past the "jump because it might be" situation, and on to the stage of "we're not getting the house, what's our next plan." I had been looking at houses in this area for over two years. This was the first place that had the essence of what we wanted. Portland, being a "green city" tends to have small yards. There are rules about not pushing the boundaries and causing sprawl into the wilderness. The reasonable thing to do is keep splitting larger lots up into several smaller lots to add more and more houses. Logical? Yes, but truly heart breaking. I like space. I like to stretch my arms and know that I am not going to elbow my neighbor in the noes. I like to look out and see trees and flowers. We, as a family, like to host parties and play in the dirt. And so, when I received the call, the one that after I said hello I hear "congratulations!" on the other end, I took a second to let it absorb.
All those months of waiting. And then all those weeks of trying to let go. It was a wonderful moment. And what a feeling, as I have been pulling up carpets and tearing down old mirrors, I have taking the first steps to get to know this new place. A place that someday will feel so much a part of me that as I said before, it will be a family member.
Many, many more pictures to come.
Cheers,
Marica
