A change is looming

A bit of context:

In January 2000, during our engagement, Billy and I decided to buy a house. We liked the idea of building equity in a home, of investing in a neighborhood, of having the space to practice hospitality. After a few weeks of searching, we found our present home at 701 Golfview Drive, where we've lived for the past 7 years. Our entire married life has been there; it is where we welcomed Lena, John, and Miranda. It's been our home, and we've been really happy there. And not just our house -- the neighborhood has become our home as well. Playing and gardening with the neighborhood kids, working with the neighborhood association, spending time with the guys up the street at the Golfview House, walking to Buffalo Wild Wings -- so many things have become special to us.

Yet slowly but surely, we have been outgrowing this house. Even with a fabulous design (vaulted ceilings, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, a walk-in closet and a laundry room., plus garage!), it's still just over 1000 square feet. When we moved in 7 years ago, it was just the two of us, and our house seemed spacious and welcoming. We had our bedroom with its walk-in closet and private bath (snazzy!), an office, and a guest room and guest bath. It was lovely, and everything seemed to have its proper place, and was easy to keep under control. Now fast-forward 2 1/2 years and add another, non-related adult, and there goes our guest bedroom and bath. Fast forward another 3 years and add an infant, and there goes our office and a large part of our living room. (Although we enclosed an area of the garage to serve as an office, it's not quite the same.) We can still coexist under the same roof, but things are pretty tight. And having guests means one of two unappealing options -- they're on the couch or they're at a hotel.

So, for the past several months we've been looking at houses. We had a contract on one last fall, which fell through due to a slimy and deceptive homeseller. (I'm just saying...) But last week, we signed a contract on this nice home. It's in a neighborhood that I've always loved, just a mile and a half out of downtown and the High Street House. There are mature trees and lots of front porches, and an elementary school and a park and a grocery within a half-mile walk. Its interior is stuck in the 70's, but that's fixed easily enough. It has a nice backyard for Miranda, for a garden, for entertaining and chatting with neighbors. It's twice the size of our present home, with room to expand into the basement if we choose. And I think we'll be really happy there. There will be much grieving as we leave our sweet Golfview home, which I'll probably process here on the blog, but I know God has good things in store for us on Burke Road.

We have our inspection and radon test this week, and will hopefully close around the end of March. I'll keep everyone posted.