Things are going to move slower than we initially thought. Now we have time to get the house in order (without being under duress) and won't feel as much pressure to make a rash decision (always good). We'd really like the time to make the best decision.
It feels like such a relief... like I have been holding my breath for 3 weeks straight.
I mean trying to juggle this stuff and the start of a new school and all the uncertainties with both has been intense.
There is also still a chance (maybe 2) that we might stay, which would obviously get the kids' vote. And maybe mine, too, since I haven't had a great track record of loving my life in other places. And to be honest, as things move closer to that reality... I do get a little panicked about it. You know, Asheville was some ROUGH times for me. And I'm not sure I've grown out of that. Although twice as much money could help the medicine go down (just sayin').
The more I investigate other areas and housing options, the more I realize how much I love my house... we really can't find anything that compares (price, size, location) to ours. Although the stone farmhouse is still available.... and the summer kitchen?... holy cuteness batman. And the gorgeous barn?... holy potential rodents (the only downside I have come up with so far... and that's a serious potential downside).
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Columbo
"I need to change my underwear!" Baby hollers from the bathroom.
"How did that happen?" Mrs F calls back.
"Well, apparently there is some poop in it." Baby returns.
"How did that happen?" Mrs F calls back.
"Well, apparently there is some poop in it." Baby returns.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Good News (and lots of work)
The weather finally turned. It's been strange late fall weather, but I'm enjoying it. It also feels somewhat melancholy and I wonder if it's the last time I'll feel this weather here.
Mr F continues to paint the house. Good god, all the trim and screened-in porch is taking forever. And I just told him that the blue has to go. He's thrilled. I reminded him that we knew all along if we were selling the house we'd have to change the blue to a neutral... he said "yeah, but I'd thought the paint would have had a chance to dry first." It's definitely frustrating. Of course, we didn't think we'd be selling our house a month later. Seriously, never saw this coming. Fortunately the blue peaks are the fastest to paint and if we stick with the trim color (which I freaking LOVE) it should only take one coat to cover it up since it's equally as dark. Unfortunately, he still needs to paint the guest room (which the tornado contractors rebuilt the wall of and only painted that ONE wall), and the kitchen ceiling (tornado water damage) and the dining room ceiling (we changed the location of the light so there is a big patch there, and the kitchen walls (not much). All of these inside projects were on our list pre-tornado they just got pushed back. So he kind of wants to kill himself. All of his evenings and weekends are spent painting (for pretty much the last 2 months) and he's got plenty to go. And now there is the time crunch.
Mr F has a couple of 1st interviews coming up this week. Yay! Thank god, since truthfully all this bullshit has started to beat him down and that starts to erode the old self esteem. I'm so happy that he's getting this interest. One big job contacted him the same day they received his application... and it's a big deal... so that level of interest is a huge boost. Of course we've been down this road a few times and know it has it's ups and downs and a first interview is not the same as an offer... but I'm just incredibly grateful he got that recognition. It actually made me cry a little with relief. Both of these jobs would be starting in about a month... so it'll be an extremely fast process.... which made me hyperventilate a little.
I've been looking at houses online and have found my dream house: early american stone farmhouse with 10 acres, barn & summer kitchen and the best part is it's a RENTAL (with option to buy). Yes, selling 3 houses in 4 years kind of gets old and I'm not looking to go through it again in another 2 years! Fortunately for us we have happened to buy uniquely nice houses in desirable neighborhoods so I'm really feeling optimistic that 3rd time's the charm and we can sell this house, too. If not, we know we can rent it for a fair amount above our house payments, so that's a definite option considering we plan to rent if we move. So I'm not as panicked as I was in NC, since we can move with Mr F if we're renting. Unlike our move here when he took a paycut... any new salary would be enough to cover both payments.
The only wrinkle is that the girls' new school starts in 2 weeks. Of course, the year I decide to stop homeschooling and send them to school is the year when homeschooling would be best! But the girls are so excited and ready to go, and truthfully, if we're selling it would be extremely helpful to have them out of the house during the day. And if Mr F moves ahead of us, I think it will be good to have that kind of structure and stability while we're here. We'll see. The great news is that we don't have a contract with the school, so we can take them out without penalty.
And, yes, the girls know everything that is going on. They are doing surprisingly well with it. Of course, they don't want to move, but they can understand (well, Kid can) the position Mr F is in and that it isn't right or fair to have him stay there. Baby hasn't lived in any one place for more than 23 months... so... this is par for the course for her, anyway. I'm playing a kind of game with them, where we think about all of the kinds of places we've never lived as a family (at the sea, on a lake, in the woods, on a farm, in a city) and look for those kind of cities, towns, houses. We circle furniture for them in magazines and pretend to furnish them. It's empowering them (and me) to embrace the change and see the potential. And, I have to say, it's working. It's much easier to let this house/life go when there is something coming up that you are looking forward to.
And, just so you know, I'm really looking forward to a stone farmhouse.
Mr F continues to paint the house. Good god, all the trim and screened-in porch is taking forever. And I just told him that the blue has to go. He's thrilled. I reminded him that we knew all along if we were selling the house we'd have to change the blue to a neutral... he said "yeah, but I'd thought the paint would have had a chance to dry first." It's definitely frustrating. Of course, we didn't think we'd be selling our house a month later. Seriously, never saw this coming. Fortunately the blue peaks are the fastest to paint and if we stick with the trim color (which I freaking LOVE) it should only take one coat to cover it up since it's equally as dark. Unfortunately, he still needs to paint the guest room (which the tornado contractors rebuilt the wall of and only painted that ONE wall), and the kitchen ceiling (tornado water damage) and the dining room ceiling (we changed the location of the light so there is a big patch there, and the kitchen walls (not much). All of these inside projects were on our list pre-tornado they just got pushed back. So he kind of wants to kill himself. All of his evenings and weekends are spent painting (for pretty much the last 2 months) and he's got plenty to go. And now there is the time crunch.
Mr F has a couple of 1st interviews coming up this week. Yay! Thank god, since truthfully all this bullshit has started to beat him down and that starts to erode the old self esteem. I'm so happy that he's getting this interest. One big job contacted him the same day they received his application... and it's a big deal... so that level of interest is a huge boost. Of course we've been down this road a few times and know it has it's ups and downs and a first interview is not the same as an offer... but I'm just incredibly grateful he got that recognition. It actually made me cry a little with relief. Both of these jobs would be starting in about a month... so it'll be an extremely fast process.... which made me hyperventilate a little.
I've been looking at houses online and have found my dream house: early american stone farmhouse with 10 acres, barn & summer kitchen and the best part is it's a RENTAL (with option to buy). Yes, selling 3 houses in 4 years kind of gets old and I'm not looking to go through it again in another 2 years! Fortunately for us we have happened to buy uniquely nice houses in desirable neighborhoods so I'm really feeling optimistic that 3rd time's the charm and we can sell this house, too. If not, we know we can rent it for a fair amount above our house payments, so that's a definite option considering we plan to rent if we move. So I'm not as panicked as I was in NC, since we can move with Mr F if we're renting. Unlike our move here when he took a paycut... any new salary would be enough to cover both payments.
The only wrinkle is that the girls' new school starts in 2 weeks. Of course, the year I decide to stop homeschooling and send them to school is the year when homeschooling would be best! But the girls are so excited and ready to go, and truthfully, if we're selling it would be extremely helpful to have them out of the house during the day. And if Mr F moves ahead of us, I think it will be good to have that kind of structure and stability while we're here. We'll see. The great news is that we don't have a contract with the school, so we can take them out without penalty.
And, yes, the girls know everything that is going on. They are doing surprisingly well with it. Of course, they don't want to move, but they can understand (well, Kid can) the position Mr F is in and that it isn't right or fair to have him stay there. Baby hasn't lived in any one place for more than 23 months... so... this is par for the course for her, anyway. I'm playing a kind of game with them, where we think about all of the kinds of places we've never lived as a family (at the sea, on a lake, in the woods, on a farm, in a city) and look for those kind of cities, towns, houses. We circle furniture for them in magazines and pretend to furnish them. It's empowering them (and me) to embrace the change and see the potential. And, I have to say, it's working. It's much easier to let this house/life go when there is something coming up that you are looking forward to.
And, just so you know, I'm really looking forward to a stone farmhouse.
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