Oh happy day

Let me tell you a story...


A few weeks ago, I was out running errands and as I pulled in the driveway I noticed a car parked in front of our house and a woman taking pictures.  I got out of the car all thug-like and was like, "Can I help you?"  She was in her mid-50s and very animated and said "Oh!  I'm interested in your house!"


You know, the house that's been on the market since last September.  The house that I can't live in because it has to be 'staged.'  The house that they wanted me to leave at 7:45 at night for a showing.  (I got super thug with them that night and was like, um NO.  I have a baby and it's her bedtime.)  The house that has had me living like a single parent, fighting with my husband during the 48 hours he's home each week because the stress and strain is just too much.  THAT house.


I have been over this nonsense for a long time now, which is why I shrugged my shoulders, gestured toward the house and said, "You wanna see it?  It's messy."  And she was like "OH!  That would be wonderful!"  So I got the baby out of her carseat and showed her around my messy but still awesome house.


She was a very nice lady and we got to talking.  I know you're not supposed to show all your cards to potential buyers, but have I mentioned that I'm over it?  Plus I was sure I'd never see her again, so I laid it all out.  How Drew's gone, how it's just me and the baby and the dog, and how it all sucks.  She totally understood because she and her partner were in the same situation.  My ears totally perked up when I heard 'partner' because let's face it - even though it's listed as a three bedroom, functionally our house is just a two bedroom and that doesn't work with a growing family.  Since they were older, the chances of them outgrowing the house were slim.  We ended up chatting for a long while and she said she'd stay in touch.  In my mind I was like, 'yeah right whatever' because any time I hear "We've just started looking" I immediately tune them out.


A week later, she and her partner show up on our doorstep, this time we were all home.  We showed them around, talked some more and I actually hugged them when they left.  They were such nice ladies and it was reason #358 that I was sad to leave the neighborhood:  they wanted to move here and I bet they would have been good people to be friends with.


Then we went on vacation and had such a great time.

Oh yeah, I'm sneaking in more vacation photos.

We got home and got back to reality, which meant more showings.  For the record, the nighttime showings are much worse than the daytime ones.

Just in case whoever was looking at the house was on Facebook

*and* was my friend.  Makes perfect sense.

Well, SOMEBODY heard me because we got an offer late Friday night!!

And Then!  AND THEN!!  We got ANOTHER offer Saturday morning!  It was the ladies!  And Then!  AND THEN!!  They found out that someone else had put in an offer so they INCREASED their original offer!  


We got our asking price.


Let that marinate.


All the pennies we saved over this past year, knowing that we were going to take it up the bum in closing costs, knowing that we needed money for a down payment, knowing that there was No Way in This Economy that we'd get a decent price for our house,


And We Got Our Asking Price.


Granted, it's lower than what we'd originally listed it for back in September, but we were fast nearing the floor of what we could accept and we were starting to debate the merits of eating ramen noodles every night for dinner, and really how bad could living in a motel be??


**Just kidding, we weren't going to have to live in a motel.  But a one bedroom apartment was briefly on the table because the term 'short sale' was starting to get thrown around.


Now?  NOW?  Our savings doesn't get emptied.  We get to look for houses.  But most importantly,  We Get To Be Together Again.


Seriously y'all, I'm about to tear up just thinking about that.  We get to be a FAMILY.


Drew still has to travel but it's not going to be as much and he will come back to our HOME, where we don't have to swipe everything off the dresser and throw it in the closet every other day.  Where we can lay on the sofa with our hands down our pants if we want to.  Where no one's going to call with 30 minutes notice to come look at our house, only to say 'nope, not for us.'


WHERE I CAN DECORATE AGAIN!


I'm so sorry for the caps lock y'all but this is me dancing naked in the street with so much joy that this nightmare is coming to a close.


Now, we are not at the finish line yet.  The house has to pass inspection, appraisal and the financing has to be agreed upon and the buyers can back out any time they want to.  This won't be over until we hand them the keys on July 30th.


Because yeah, we have a MONTH to get out of our house.  Holy crap!  We go up to Reading next week to look for houses, the week after that is my BFF's baby's first birthday, and I know about first birthdays so that weekend is going to be taken up with me helping out, and then And THEN!  We are out of here!  


This month is going to fly by, but I will keep you updated with everything because you have been with me through this drama and I thank you.  I wouldn't have made it through without knowing that if I came here to vent, I'd have a sympathetic ear.  Again, THANK YOU.


So keep your fingers crossed that we make it to the finish line, that the ladies love our house just as much as we do and if all goes well, we will be on our way to our new adventure come August 1st!


I'm still pinching myself.  It's finally happening...