So if you know me at all, you know I have a strange relationship with my house. It has been such a labor of love these past four years we've been renovating it that I am very much emotionally connected to it. We have painted every surface in our home, renovated every room, undergone countless DIY projects, replaced fixtures, and updates galore. All on a very conservative budget mind you. I have said for years that we could die in this house and I would be just fine with that. Honestly, still would be.
So that's why it may come as a shock to you all, when I tell you we are moving. We have been thinking and praying about it for the past six months or so. There are so many reasons that made my infamous pro/con list, but let me share some with you here.
The biggest reason is finances. One of our biggest goals as a couple is to work toward being debt free. Not only do we want that for ourselves, but now that our son, Parker is here, we want to be able to offer him the world. Or at least a childhood full of wonderful memories. With all of the renovations we have done to our current home, the profit would allow us to pay off our student loans, which has been a serious financial stressor for us. It certainly won't solve all our money issues and goals, but it's start! The number one thing that Aaron and I (and I'm pretty sure most couples) fight about is money, or the lack there of. So the idea of working toward being debt free, other than our mortgage (we hope!), is more than enticing. Hopefully then in a couple years we can focus on trying to build up a proper savings, takes trips as a family, and even have some "fun money" every once in a while. So that is something that we are working toward accomplishing.
Another reason is location. While I love the country area that we live in, with it's simplicity and safety, Aaron is traveling over an hour a day to and from work, and my commute is an hour and a half round trip. This is just more time and gas money that we aren't willing to spend away from family. Now, we aren't moving terribly far from our current home. But the time that it will save us and being significantly closer to the expressway will seriously help with that. We are going to be much closer to both of our families, which as ours grows, is where we want to be!
No one ever came out to visit us at our current house before Parker (except my dad!) and being the social extrovert that I am, I really hate that. I thrive on being around other people and love having people over and hosting. So being in town where people will actually be "in the area" or don't see it as some big trip to come out to our home will be so nice.
Another reason I love this new house is that it is on a court. It seems like a small reason, but I love that I can sit on my front porch swing (yes it has one!!) and watch my kids play in the neighborhood. Aaron and I joke that we need to set up a paintball gun for the stop sign in front of our house that nearly everyone seems to take as a suggestion.
Our new home is also has an additional bedroom and half bath which we are really grateful for, because ideally I want to fill up all those rooms! ☺️
So while there are a ton of reasons that we are making this decision, these are the main ones leading us to decide what we have.
Now that you know that we are ten shades of crazy with moving with a newborn, I wanted to do something as we get ready to leave behind our first home. I am not typically an emotional person, I tend to think through and process things fairly logically, and without too much feeling (I'm pretty sure having Parker was the first time I cried in years), but I know I am way to attached to our current home to not miss it and be sad to leave. It's our first home that we bought together, it's where we got our fur babies, it's where we met some of our best friends, and it's where we brought our baby home to. So I figured it needed a proper send off!
Over the next month, as I attempt to box up our house (heaven help me) I want to do a before an after series of our home. It's been really fun to look at how far this home has come in the last four years, and while it breaks my heart to leave it, I'm excited to hand it off to someone to create new memories in.
So check those emails and follow me on Instagram to keep up with the final tour of our home before we make this big jump! And how in the world I handle moving with a newborn!