Welp,

Looks like we are staying put.

Yesterday, we had a contractor come out and look at our front porch. A front porch that was brand new just 2 years ago when we bought this house. It is now, literally, falling off the house. The steps are splintering and breaking off, the pillars have fallen down, the spindles on the rails are falling off. Every carpenter we've had look at it has said the same thing. "Idiots. They used interior wood and did nothing to seal it. Why even go through all the trouble and work?" The contractor today gave us a ballpark figure for replacing the porch. The porch that is holding up Fiona's bedroom. (the support columns are sound and will be kept.)

$12,000-$15,000

Now, you guys may have that kind of cash stuffed in your sock drawer, but we do not. And if we sold our house now, after only owning it for two years, we'd be lucky to break even much less make up the $12,000 for replacing the porch. Bob had a major fit when we got the figure and then he took a nap.

When we sat down and talked about it, we both just kind of said, "Huh. Looks like we'll be here for awhile." And when that had been said, a wave of relief and comfort washed over me like you wouldn't believe. I had no idea how stressed out I was at the prospect of moving again. I mean, I sorta knew. But, not really.

So, we looked around at all of the blessings God has put around us and we began to get our minds around this idea of staying put. We began to get excited about actually making this house our home. I haven't really done anything to personalize this house because I figured, why bother? we're just going to move again. We have been married 8 years and have lived in 4 different houses! I need some settling in time.

Bob has now applied for a doctorate program, the kids have started school (what did she say?! school?! I'll tell you all about it tomorrow but let's just say that if Kate could have started her own school, it would be just like this one.), we have Conor's school situation all set up, I'm making new friends in the neighborhood, and I bought paint. I'm painting the living room.

*deep sigh*
yep. pledging myself to these walls. and after two years of yellow...I'm painting them blue.

Do I need to tell you how this ends?

Part 2

You Know It's Summertime When...