Step two, buy a house

Well, we've finally done it. In true meticulous shopper fashion, as Kris and I both are, we found a house almost identical to the first house we viewed when this all began. We both love the split level bungalows. They tend to be bigger and the stairs break up the spaces, making them
more interesting than the classic post-war bungalow. The first property we viewed was a split with extensive renovations. It was beautiful, but didn't have any room to grow, no storage, only 3 levels (bedrooms, living-dining-kitchen, and half-basement family room/man cave, and a very small yard. Eventually, we found the same house, without the renos, but with a 4th level, unfinished, where we can put a guest bedroom and a play area for kids. Not to mention storage and a space to make a wine cellar. Bigger lot, 2 car garage, and a back yard that is essentially a blank slate. There was some negotiating on the price and we ended up with a pretty good deal. Though the sale is pending home inspection, I feel confident in saying that our new address will be 9 Haverhill Drive SW. Is it silly that I'm very excited to live on a name street (for the first time in my life)? I'm also, even though its gonna be a lot of BS, really excited to decide on tiles and backslashes and paint colors and such.

Bad news is that we don't move in until Oct 1. So we are renting a crap apartment in Bridgeland for 45 days. I am trying to think about it like it's a Europe/vacation from reality kind of thing. The difference being that I have to go to work every day. Oh well, it's a means to an end. And there is an end in sight.

Europe really changed my outlook on life. There was a lot of "suck it up, buttercup" during our extended stay across the pond. Now that we're back home I feel like I can handle way more adversity than before. I keep thinking, "it's not like we're sleeping in a train station in Venice. And with a baby no less."

We are moving into the home where we will raise our children. How awesome is that?