Our First Home

I have to say that the past month has been quite an eventful one for our family. Besides the hustle and bustle of our daily routines and all of the ins and outs of trying to keep everyone healthy and happy, we are also in the process of trying to get things ready for our summer move to Louisiana.

The day after our oldest daughter turned 10, Jason and I began our first 1600 mile trip to Louisiana. We planned our trip out very carefully because we both knew that this trip could possibly lead us towards one of the biggest and most significant steps as husband and wife. We drove across five different states with the intent on buying our first home. We both set out with a positive outlook on the new life that stood before us. Although the drive was long and strenuous, we were both very excited to be able to see exactly where the military was sending us next.

I think that we were both a little surprised by how much we liked the area. Although there are some areas that will definitely be avoided, we both felt very optimistic about starting the next chapter of our lives there.

We spent the first couple of day’s house hunting and driving around several different neighborhoods. I have to say that this was one of the most stressful yet exciting events of my life. For most people, purchasing a new home is an adventure in itself. As a military family, we have to add the fact that we are relocating to a whole to new area. We were completely dependent on our real estate agent. This can be a very scary process, especially when you consider the fact that you are putting the well being of your family in someone else’s hands. Luckily, we found a real estate agent and company that made this process a little easier to handle.

We spent our time looking at new construction as well as older homes. From the very beginning, we organized two separate piles. The first pile contained the listings we really liked. The second contained the listings we didn’t really care for. We took several pictures and wrote a detailed list of everything we saw inside and outside of each individual house. We spent time exploring different neighborhoods. At night, we sat in our hotel room and talked about the pros and cons of each house that we looked at. We also spent time researching information about the schools and the neighborhoods online. Ultimately, at the end of every conversation, there was one house that stood out the most for the two of us.

The very first house we looked at was a brand new construction located in a gated community about 10 minutes away from the base. The first thing we fell in love with was the location. The area is beautiful and the schools are a part of the Blue Ribbon school district. The second thing we fell in love with was the house itself. When Jason and I walked into the house it truly felt like home. Everything felt right. It was the first time as a parent that I could actually visualize a place to raise my children. I was excited at the idea of being able to watch my children grow up in this house. Looking out the front windows, I could picture my children riding their bikes around the cul-de-sac. It truly was an incredible feeling.

After a couple days of outweighing the pros and cons of each house, we decided that the first house we looked at was the house we wanted to make our first offer on. That day, we took a drive out to the community. We parked our car and just walked around the neighborhood. It was such a remarkable feeling to see people out walking their dogs, kids riding their bikes and flying kites, and best of all the people were friendly and welcoming. We both felt safe. We both felt at home.

On March 31st, 2010, Jason and I made our very first home offer. It was a morning like no other. I don’t think either one of us could believe what was happening. Needless to say, that morning was one of the longest mornings of our lives. At 1:30 in the afternoon, we received the news that our offer was accepted. I don’t think that I can explain how we felt. We both were overcome with emotions signing all of the paperwork. When we signed the last paper, we looked at each other and smiled. Jason leaned over gave me a hug and a kiss and whispered "we just bought our first home!" In an instant, we became official grow-ups. =)

Every so often, there are moments when I just stop and reflect upon the things that are going on within my life. I have always been a very goal oriented person. Needless to say, I tend to examine who I am and what I have accomplished over the years. In that past 11 years, I have been fortunate enough to create a life with my partner, my very best friend. Together, we have established a happy and successful marriage. Together, we have created a beautiful family of five. We are in the process of raising three incredible children. I am very proud of the life Jason and I have created together. Through the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly, we have managed to stand with each other every step of the way.

As we move forward towards the next chapter of our lives, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change a thing. This is where we are supposed to be. Every step we have taken in our lives has led us to this exact moment. We have three wonderful children and an amazing marriage. We are surrounded by a support system like no other. We have the most incredible family and friends and now we are purchasing our very first home! All I can say is that life is simply wonderful!