and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true

The past couple years sure have been a time of growth and improvement in my life. I got married; I graduated from college with my 2nd degree; I've inherited a wonderful family; I'm going to church regularly.... things are just getting better. I'm still at a midpoint in that I'm waiting patiently to hear from graduate programs on my pending acceptance but life just keeps going on and improving! I feel like I'm moving on up in the world... so to speak. :) I'm 25 years old and married to a wonderful hard-working man who is wise in more ways than one. And praise God for his keen financial intellect and discipline, because we were pre-approved for a mortgage! We're getting a house! This makes me so happy because never in my life have I been in a home that wasn't rented. The plan is to have the house chosen, the contract made up and hopefully ready to move in by the end of June... when our current lease on our apt is up.

I've spent a lot of time in the past couple days looking at houses. It was fun at first, but I'm already tired of it. We have a lot to figure out. Our budget is $100-$125 with a few zeroes and we're looking for some pretty specific things. The top of Neil's must have list: 2 car garage; 2 bathrooms; 3 bedrooms. The top of my list: 3 bedrooms; large kitchen/dining room; absolutely NO WOODEN PANELING. Ick.

It's tough to find exactly what you want for the price you plan to pay... and I wonder if we find a house listed for more than our budget how far down we might be willing to negotiate. It will be a learning experience for sure.

Thinking about having this house with my husband and raising our future children in it is pretty darn exciting. It has given Neil and I a lot of positive conversation material... and even though we disagree on some things and necessities, I really do think it will be a positive experience if we keep God involved. Still working on that whole not being irritable thing... it's hard. Relationships are work. But it's definitely the fun things that make it all worth it :) I can't imagine house shopping with anyone else!

Heavenly Father,
Thanks for all the blessings you have poured out in my life. Help me to count them when it's easy to overlook them.
Amen.

"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high...
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby...
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue...
and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true...."