It's time.

Here we go, Round Two, of placing our home on the market.

Notice I say 'home,' instead of 'house' because, as much as I acknowledge that it is time to sell this one and move to another, it makes me a bit sad. For reasons that I won't go into now, this house is very special to me. The boys have gone through their Tweens and Teens here and many memories have been created within these 1480 square feet.

It was with a little hesitation that we placed the sign in the yard last summer. Our feeling was that it would be great if it sold, but we were really in no hurry. After the sluggish market and the craziness of sending one son off to college and beginning senior activities for the one left at home, it was just easier to take it off the MLS listings in the late fall. So right before the holidays, we took the sign down and agreed to discuss it again in the Spring.

I will admit that I've vacillated back and forth these past couple of months. I've made both mental and physical pros and cons lists for, both, moving and staying put. (If you think I put a lot of thought into purchasing my beloved Coach bag...well, you should see THESE lists!)

When it is all said and done, it is fairly obvious that we need more room. Our house is the hub of lots of family gatherings and my kitchen is the place where our friends gather to cook and to chat. I love that we've made the most of our small space and I especially love that our friends love to spend time here. It is, like I said, truly a home to us.

With both boys living away from home next year, we should have even more space available here to Mike and to me, right? You'd think. Only...no.

As most of you know, after six years of writing and "office-ing" out of our bedroom, I finally set up office in Nate's bedroom last fall. Contrary to popular belief, no, there is no Murphy bed that now pulls down from the wall and, yes, it IS still Nate's room. Gone are the Civil War borders and the Van Gogh paintings and, instead, the walls are a creamy coffee color and mahogony bookshelves now line the walls.

While Nate is away, it's my sanctuary. When he's home (like NOW!) I'm displaced. Sure, I have my laptop, but I think I must be a ritualistic person. When working and blogging, I like my chair. At my desk. In my office. On my desktop. So this morning, as I'm eagerly taking advantage of the fact that the boys are out with their friends today, I'm facing the facts.

It's time to move.

I believe that Mike came to this conclusion a few weeks back. While he travels about fifty percent of the time, he does have an office for when he is here in town. The unfortunate part is that it's about a forty-five minute commute in morning traffic and, most days, he ends up trying to work from home. Which presents its own set of unique...challenges.

I have to say that there are some days when I like nothing better than knowing that he is right down the hallway and can be cajoled into taking his wife out for a chips & salsa lunch. But - and for those of you who've seen and heard us reenact our home office collision course, you know this is true - on those other days, the combination can be quite...well, challenging.

With Mike on his cell phone (averaging probably 25-30 calls a day), pacing our wood floors (you KNOW how they echo, right?), me in my "office" (while I'm insanely grateful for it, is IS a mere ten feet from said pacing), then you add in me looking for various files, taking time to move laundry from the washer to the dryer (that's valuable "think" time when I'm stuck on  a plot) and you've got a real (though usually very comical) working collision course.

So when Mike came home a few weeks ago and announced that, as of June, the company office here in town would be closing, we spent a few minutes just kind of looking at each other. In the days and weeks that have followed we have each, at our own pace, come to the conclusion that it's time to get serious about selling this house and finding a place that can truly accommodate our current lifestyle.

I wish that I could embrace this move with joy and eagerness but the truth is that, instead, I feel a twinge of nervousness and a lot of nostalgia. Large purchases kind of make me weak in the knees (again, reference the Coach purchase) and I know that this decision will be one that I will think, then rethink, and so on and so on.

If you think about it, please say a prayer as we begin Round Two. Pray for the right new owner of this 'home', that they might find the same joy and contentment and love of family and friends as we've experienced. And pray for our future home - wherever it might be - that it will house our family, our friends, our playtime, and our worktime with promises of years of memory-making to come... 

Comments

[Carey]

I didn't know you were moving. I will definitely keep you in my prayers. I pray your house sells fast and quick, and you and your family find the perfect house to accommodates all the needs you are looking for.
If you ever get the chance, watch designed to sell, they give a lot of good advice on getting your house ready to sell.

[Rochelle]

Oh, I can relate about the whole "home" and "house" thing. I will be praying for you. But I know that you are in the will of God and He has the perfect family for your house, and the perfect house for your family!

[Staci]

Thanks, you two, for your comments and your prayers. I wish I weren't such a ninny when it comes to these types of decisions. I promise, it's like I'm on a see-saw. But I know it'll be great to be in a home where we can both office in comfort and also have plenty of room for when all the kids and grandkids are home at the same time.

[Staci]

The sign went up today! Now that it's up, I think I'm very good with selling. The decision making is the killer for me. I was working in the flower beds this morning and I found myself praying for the future owners, that they would find contentment with the very flowers I was planting. It's going to be a great home for someone...