We've been living here for six years. When I moved in here with Sarah Tibbetts, I had no idea I would be here this long. I had no idea that this first little apartment would be the foundation for my family and life. My reason for moving here was simply that I didn't want to move straight from my father's house into my husband's house. I wanted a little bit of time to be on my own and learn how to do a few things. I never really had to learn how to do house things like have chores and keep a good schedule for keeping a home. I didn't know how to clean a bathtub. I HATED dishes. Laundry was always atrocious. So I just knew that I had to leave the house for a little bit if I was going to force myself to learn how to take care of things.
Jason, on the other hand, was taught how to do everything. This guy knows how to clean and clean efficiently. He does almost everything efficiently. His time-management skills are amazing. I watched him for two years come home after a full day of work only to sit right at the kitchen table and do homework for two hours. There was no tv or lounging about. He was so focused. He definitely has a work first, play later attitude. And in a lot of ways that is a real blessing because not only does he get his work done, but then when he does have time to play he can fully enjoy what he's doing and not feel guilty or that nagging thought that something isn't being done.
So since I married this organized clean guy (not obsessively clean mind you) I promised myself that I would try my best to do things his way. What am I going to do, argue that the house MUST be messy?! It makes no sense.
Anyways, during this time that I was thinking about moving a co-worker friend of mine, Sarah, called me one day and wanted to know if I wanted to be roommates with her. I said sure and found this apartment complex The Lakes online. When I first took a look around here I was amazed. It is so beautiful. There are trees everywhere and winding pathways, a pool with a huge waterfall and a pond that runs between two apartment buildings. It feels more like a loft-house than just an apartment. It was too good to be true. But really it wasn't because we got the ok to move here and got a great location in the complex right in front of the pond and great rent too. Even after all these years, we are still getting great rent. We're upstairs in 25G.
Sarah and I only ended up living together for about 9 months when she moved out to a studio apartment and Jason moved in and we got married. Shortly after we got married I started looking on realtor.com just out of curiosity to see how much it would cost to buy a condo. I saw a nice one in San Dimas in the newer Cinnamon Creek development for 160K. I thought to myself that buying a condo like that was our next step, so I kept my eye on the real estate sites so that we could plan to buy. Well, a few months later I checked realtor.com and another condo in that same complex was now listed for 215K. I thought "Oh, the market is a little high right now. We'll wait until it comes down again." HAHAHHAHAHAHAH!! Silly girl!! Today, five years later, that condo is worth about 430K and is completely 100% out of our price-range.
Watching the market sky-rocket right in front of our eyes has been irritating to say the least. We cannot believe how it has changed and completely passed us by right at the moment when we were getting ready to get in.
It has been very difficult to decide what to do with this situation. Do we move out to the boonies? Stay close to family and buy a teeny tiny something? Do we move closer to his work? Do we rent a house and say forget buying? Do we move to an undesireable city and try to find a good neighborhood? I have been actively searching for a home for us for the last two years. I have had meetings with five different loan consultants. I've yammered to my parents on this until their ears are no doubt ready to fall off. I've discussed this at length several times with Janet King, my friends Lorelei and Jamie and Therese and Nataki and Cindy. Basically any person with a bit of insight and patience with me to keep talking and hashing this out and offering advice. It is this constant battle between needs vs. wants and what we can afford. Ugh. It's been crazy.
All I have to say at the moment is Thank God the Market Has Turned. For the first time in several years there is hope for us. FINALLY there are some decent places that have cropped up that are in our maximum price range. For so long there was NOTHING in our maximum price range. And thank God Jason has gotten a few good raises that make this all possible. And thank God we know how to save money. Otherwise, we'd still have no hope.
Ultimately we decided that our number one priority was to stay near family if at all possible. We've just got too much good stuff goin' on over here to pound sand and head for new horizons. Francesca and Adam are blessed to have Grandma Carol, Grandpa Tom, Auntie Doreen, Cousins Nico and Catie, Grandma Bobbie and Grandpa Marr all right here where they can love each other and spend time together often. If we all hated each other that would be one thing, but we don't. And darnit, I need the support with the kids!
So although I only planned on living here for about two years tops, it's been six. It has been a lovely six though I must say. Our carpet looks disgusting now. There are a few cobwebs in the unreachable corners of our high ceiling but it's been really good here. I've made great friendships with my neighbors. Both of the children were born in our bedroom. It's cool to go to the very spots where we brought our kids into the world. I'll miss that. But it is time to move on and move forward. We need more space!!! And a garage!!! And indoor laundry!!! And I don't want to have to walk the equivalent of a football field to get to my car!!! And it'd be nice to have a patch of dirt to plant some seeds!!!
We're ready to go!
