i'm a big kid now

You know it's Friday when you wake up and realize you dreamt that Troy Aikman had been following you from party to party because he was in love with you. I mean, really, can you blame him? 

Strangely, my Cowboys-lover dream was not the biggest thing that happened this week. Nor was the last day of class, signaling my three-week release from prison back into the real world! Nor was the amazing Hold Steady concert, at which Lundy and I wriggled our way to the second row and sweated it up to some rockin' rock. Amongst all that stuff, I signed a 1,273 page contract signing away my firstborn child in exchange for a sweet-ass-all-mine-put-your-big-girl-pants-on house! 

I've been on a serious house hunt since June when the armpit shithole rental house fell through. Sally referred me to Don, the patron saint of good decision making, and after visiting at least 50 houses, we both finally agreed that my new little gal was the best choice! I am so thankful to have had a knowledgeable, wise, altruistic, and patient helper like Don and I was so excited after signing the contract that I distributed not one but two hugs in appreciation! 

My whole goal during this process was, first and foremost, to find a home that I would love, feel stable in, and feel "me" in. Secondary goals included avoiding a money pit, choosing something that would rent easily once I move on, and finally picking something that would re-sell easily someday down the road when the market is up and running again. After much see-sawing between those objectives, I realized that buying an old house (hence, one I felt most comfortable in) was diametrically opposed to all sensibility. Given my general stress level of life right now and my track record of luck lately, the charm and character of an old house would probably soon give way to some unwelcome repairs that would leave me just shy of a strait-jacket. Since I'm looking for more stability, not less, I realized I needed to save my "ideal" house for later. 

Just as I was about to give up (why is this always when it happens?), my little lady fell right into my lap, before she even hit the official market. By the end of the month, I'll be a proud new member of the Mueller development going up on the site of the old airport. For those who think traditional developments are the Anti-Christ, I hear you, and I hope you're pleasantly surprised by the new urban concepts at play in this green community. It took me a while to warm up to the idea of paying a homeowner's association fee, but the bike trails + greenways, town center, light rail, and easily maintained house eventually swayed me. This whole hunt was a great test of my patience (or lack thereof), and I'm so glad I held off on the many properties that I considered. I think the reality of being a homeowner will kick in once I start hiring movers, painting, switching utilities, forwarding mail, and all of the other prosaic tasks that come with moving....and I can't wait.