We haven't started moving in to our house yet. We're going to stay in our apartment until this weekend. We spent last weekend shopping for a million things, and we're going to paint a bit (hopefully) this Wednesday (assuming I can get off from work). Then we'll finish packing our stuff this Friday (because we're really only about halfway packed) and then the actual moving date will be Saturday.
We checked out our house on Friday after work and Keith insisted on carrying me over the threshhold. The neighbors were all pressed against their windows staring at us. Haha! But as we walked around the house, we found that in the basement there was a broken window! It was just a small window, but we were a little freaked, because it loked like someone had thrown a rock to break in, or something. But there was only a very small shard of glass inside the basement, and the rest of the glass was on the outside of the house. So it seemed as though the window was shattered from the inside. Very strange. We knew that a crew was working in the basement installing the drainage system the week before, so we assumed that they may have broken it then. But then we wondered why no one (the appraiser, the realtor) had noticed the broken window in that whole week following.
We called our realtor in the morning to ask what was to be done and she said she walked through after the drainage system was in and never saw a broken window. But then she recalled during the first home inspection that there was a slight crack in one of the windows (and I rememebered it, as well, after she mentioned it). We've been having record low temps here in Portland, so we deducted that the glass shattered from the extreme temps. The warmth of the basement (it's always warm under there) and the freezing temps outside made it burst. We've blocked it off for now until we can get it replaced. We don't want any critters crawling in for shelter from the cold, if they've not gotten in already.
Other than that, we've been feeling really good about the move. For a while, we were starting to feel very sad knowing we'll have to leave our apartment and all our wonderful little birds. But since we've had the keys and have been picking paint colors and buying new things and walked through a couple times, we're getting really excited and can't wait to move! Yesterday, we briefly met our next door neighbors. They seem to be about our age, but they have 2 young boys (maybe 5 and 7). There was another neighbor boy playing with their kids. The neighbors had a bunch of junk in their yard, which made us a little worried, but they were outside sorting it and cleaning it up. They had wheelbarrows and everything, so at least they were doing something about it. That was a good sign. They saw is moving about in the house and called over the fence, "Is that your new house?" And I said, "Yep! We're your new neighbors." That was our little introduction.
All the neighboring houses are very well taken care of. The house directly across from ours has just been painted a really pretty lavendar color. Now I'm jealous we can't pick lavendar for our own house color. :o) The neighbor on the other side of us seems to have some incredible talent in woodworking. They've built a gorgeous little shed and fence and they are landscaping and building a layered deck all down their yard. I'm thinking we really ought to befriend those neighbors. We might really benefit from their help! ;o)
Anyway, I do ramble. I am just excited and am having a hard time coping with the fact that I still have to go to school every night this week, and to work every day.

We have CLOSED on the house... finally!!!



We have the keys in our hot little hands, but we can't legally enter the house until all the signed documents are recorded, so we're waiting for the final OK. That should happen sometime tomorrow afternoon. Which is fine with us because we wouldn't have time to raid the place with all our boxes until tomorrow anyway. We've both got school tonight and won't get done until about 9:00. Too bad I'm stuck at work today, or I'd actually be studying for my statistics exam tonight (yes, I'm very worried!). I did alright on the spanish exam last night. Not quite sure what my grade was, but I definitely passed, so that's a relief. After the stats exam tonight, I'll feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted. It is Thursday, which is our last school day of the week, so we'll go out to the Rock Creek Tavern after class and celebrate with the $3 happy hour garden burgers and tater tots. Oh so healthy, I know. ;) But there is so much to celebrate! Mid terms will be OVER and we've just purchased our FIRST HOME! Woohoo!

Well, no news is exactly that. No news.

It seems that our realtor might be a few dimes short of a dollar at times. Last Wednesday, she reported that we would likely have the keys "this Friday" and move in by "this weekend". Which, when stated on last Wednesday, would imply that we would've been moving last weekend. (Are you following me?) But the contract work being done could not be completed until two days ago (Monday). Obviously, she must've meant *this* weekend (so, she should've said "next Friday" not "this Friday", but hey…) Anyway, the contract work is finally done, the drainage system is in, and the final appraisal has been completed and all is well to move forward to closing. We've just provided some current documents for the loan application this morning and we should be signing all the papers sometime this week. Maybe tomorrow? So I will keep everyone updated.
Meanwhile, I'm going to stay focused with school. One thing at a time, please. I've got the most complicated exam in statistics tomorrow night. Our instructor warned is this one is a "doozie". (Crowd responds with a lackluster: Yaaaaaay….) And tonight is my Spanish exam, which I feel pretty good about, so let's hope it goes well.
Until next time! Adieu!

Wow! A whole month later...

This past month has been crazy. I'm barely staying afloat with school and work. And forget about management of any life outside work and school. Groceries? Who needs 'em? Laundry? 'Eh. I'll get around to that when it gets serious. And the dishes? Well, if there is no food in the house, then there is no need to worry about dishes. Okay, so it's not really *that* bad, but it's close. Any free time I can grant myself, I run for the hills to wherever there is no-responsibility.

Statistics. This class is without a doubt, the dullest, most brain-numbing subject I've ever studied. For me to remotely comprehend whatever it is I'm supposed to comprehend, I have to force myself to read the chapters over and over and over. It's been excruciating. And it doesn't help that I've been working full time without lunch breaks for the past two weeks. Where do I even find time to do my homework? Study? Somewhere during the 45 minute bus ride to work and from work to school. I don't even know how I do it. But last week I actually scored a 98% on my first Statistics exam. My luck has got to run out eventually. There is no way I can bag an A in that class when I don't even know what it is I've tested on.

Spanish is, as was last term, a fairly fun and easy class. But this new instructor speaks only in Spanish and she talks so fast! I'm feeling a lot more pressure in Spanish than I did last term. I am not exposed to the Spanish language outside of classes, so it's been pretty hard to absorb. And I try to participate in class, but we are allowed to ONLY speak in Spanish. That is horrifying to me. I think I know what I want to say and how to say it, but then I get stage fright. I've sent the class into fits of laughter more than once. I am that kid who *always* has the wrong answer and everyone probably feels bad for. I am more afraid of making a mistake than anything. This is the class where my being a perfectionist isn't an advantage, I realize this now. The only way to learn the language is to speak it, even if it is flawed. It's all about communicating. But I am so caught up in doing it *right* every time. How can I possibly do it right every time? It's just not possible. That really frustrates me. (Wow - How's that for an exposing glimpse into my psyche?)

Nevertheless, I'm managing as best I can in school with all that is going on in my life.

I've just received an email from my realtor. Apparently, my house-hunting was not all just a dream! The new drainage system will be installed around the house tomorrow and a contractor will fix some dry rot around the carport. All these repairs will be done by Friday. I'm so glad that this is being done before we buy the house, so we don't have to do it ourselves. We may have the keys in our hot little hands by this Friday. We might be able to start moving this weekend, if all goes like clockwork. But we have already paid rent in our apartment through the end of February, so we'll stay here until then. So as soon as the house is ours, we'll use the time in February to paint and update things throughout without all of our stuff in the way.

What have I gotten myself into? As if I do not have enough on my plate this month, we go and buy a house. Ha! I'm excited, anyway. That's enough to keep me going.

If there is a will, there is a way. That's always been my favorite saying. I don't even know who first said it. Whoever it was, they knew just what they were talking about.