Happy House Day!

Today we receive.... drum roll... the keys to our very own house!!! Yes, we are homeowners as of this very moment!

Tonight we will be driving to our house, just because we can!

This has been a long time coming. Since before we were married we've been working towards two big goals: Me being able to stay home with my kids, and purchasing a home. Today, both goals are realized. I'm turning in my notice at work today as well.

It feels like an entirely new chapter in our lives, like I just see a big door that says March 1st, and can't see beyond it. But I know it will be good!

Yesterday we reflected on what we'll miss most about the house that we're renting, which we really do love. I'll miss sleeping under a skylight - watching the snow fall on the glass, just inches from my nose was magical this winter - and the enormous magnolia tree outside our window that gets it's strong pink blooms on bare wood, before the leaves - and the expansive front porch/deck that looks out to the lake - the neighborhood has very few lights so the moon and stars are very bright from that deck! And mostly, I'll miss being able to walk to our very cool indie bookstore.

I think it's good to acknowledge what we'll miss, but what we'll gain is so much greater! What I'm most looking forward to gaining is a sense of home. I'll be able to make the house mine, to put all the little homey touches in that make it feel like *our* place - just perfect for us! Of course, at first I'll just be figuring out how to keep it clean with my little destructo-toddler underfoot and no job to run to. But eventually, I'll be customizing. See, I'm still thinking of it as a computer application - customization, personalization... if you talk like a techie enough, you stick that way. ;)