Oui Have a Happy Little House

Exactly one year ago today we closed on our happy little house. That period of time was, honestly, a blur. While it was exciting, action packed and satisfying; it was busy, stressful and exhausting.

We started thinking about the prospect of purchasing our first home around Christmas 2008. By the middle of March we were in the process of searching for a home, had been preapproved for a mortgage, had already seen a few houses, and had requirements in terms of what we wanted and didn't want. I knew I had to have something with character. I didn't want just any house I wanted an old house with nooks and crannies and personality.

We happened upon our little house by complete accident, by way of detour. It was a Sunday afternoon and we were on our way to dinner at Aaron's parent’s house. Due to a street/highway closure we were detoured and drove past a 1930's white cape with black shutters and a red door. I think when I saw it I screamed out loud, "That's it! That's our house!" Aaron looked at me like I had 3 heads and, after processing the fact that sight unseen I wanted to buy this house, he explained that it was also .07 mi. from where he grew up and his parents currently live (literally, we walk our dogs to his parent’s house all the time.)

Anyone who knows me knows all too well; if I want something get the hell out of my way. We first laid eyes on our house the last Sunday in March. The very next day, Monday, I called my realtor and told him that I found the house I wanted and I needed to see it immediately. I think we ended up seeing it on Thursday the 2nd, put in an offer almost immediately, and closed 26 days later. My banker, my parents, and my realtor all agreed and told me "closing 26 days from the first time you looked at the house is impossible." Um, have you met me? Nothing is impossible and we did it.

Our little house is small, less than 1200 sq. ft., and it is a work in progress but it's ours. It's exactly what I imagined. Every time I pull in the driveway and I see our flowers, our shed, our rock wall; every time I walk my puppies and they stretch their leash and walk up our walkway well before I get there because they know where their house is, I get this enormous sense of pride. Every time I get a mortgage bill in the mail and relish our measly interest rate (we have an AMAZING rate) I have an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.

This is the house where we became a family. This is the house where we will have our first child. This is the house where we worked out the kinks of being first time homeowners. This is the house where Aaron heaved me over the threshold in the final hours of October 10th. This little house, number 11, is where it all began.

Happy House Anniversary to us!