Bittersweet symphony

Well we have two deals on the table, one PA on the Franklin house and one offer on the Metamora house! I feel very lucky that we are able to do this "by owner" and not pay any Realtor fees, and that it only took a couple of weeks to get offers on both homes! So now we just have to hope that the first deal closes, and then the second, and that we can maneuver moving out of both simutaneously, and have a new place to go! We think we have a good plan, just hoping nothing gets screwed up. As it turns out, that little farm in Metamora was a wonderful investment! Not only did we get to enjoy it, many, many times over, but the work we did to restore it will certainly pay off! I learned all of my real estate skills from my parents. My dad was an amazing deal maker and made lots of his money by investing in real estate. And my mother, brother and myself all had our licenses in the field. We even have an in-house attorney with my mom. So, that comes in super handy!
It will be bittersweet to say goodbye to both homes. The Franklin house is where I raised my babies. It's where we grew as a family and where we have called home for the last 9 years. We have formed lots of friendships here and love our neighbors. It is a small, tightly knit community and we will miss that. And the farm, well, it was a labor of love, and a door to a new beginning. But I know the new owners will love her even more than we did. So, there will probably be some tears, but there will also be lots of excitement about a new start. I think we found the perfect place for us, it's just what we have been looking for. Very old and stately, lots of room, lots of property, big old barns, a great area, and mostly, tons of character. It will be a great place to continue our journey on our quest for a life less ordinary.
So right now things are quite hectic, two deals negotiations, managing the kids schedules, work in full force for both me, and Roger, and just trying to keep all the balls in the air! It's a circus, but I couldn't be any happier. I feel like my father is looking down on us and he is very proud of our ambition. It was just the 11 year anniversay of his death and I feel him closer to me than ever. Thank you daddy, for all you taught me. Especially for teaching me to live my life to the fullest! You continue to inspire me on a regular basis. xo

Greener pastures

When you find yourself in the midst of trying to make a dream, (a really BIG dream) a reality, it can be quite stressful. S-T-R-E-S-S-F-U-L!
Things are certainly stressful around here lately. We had a what seemed like a forever long break from school. So, with all of the holiday madness, and no real schedule, I did not have much time to blog, or do much of anything productive. And I don't do well with too much downtime. I like being busy. I like having projects. I like it when the days seem to just fly by. But now we are back on a schedule, and we have taken on a whole lot of productivity. We started with a major house cleaning, purging, organizing mission. All the closets, all the rooms, etc...It was a huge job, but I felt great gratification afterwards. Then we took on some long overdue painting projects. We painted the boys room, the living room, and the front hall in two nights. Now we are prepping the kitchen and great room and back hall. Then we will finally tackle the master bedroom.
I have also done some major decluttering, and I must say, it looks great! We are hoping to sell the house soon and move to a big, old, character-filled farmhouse on some acreage with a barn. We already started our search and have found a couple that we really like. This weekend we will go see some of them. I am so excited! I LOVE house hunting! In the meantime, our house has gotten some interest and we may even close a deal soon! Thus, the source of the stress, especially for my husband who just isn't quite mentally prepared for such a major ordeal. He's ready in theory, but I think it's happening sooner than he expected, than we both did, and it's a lot to take on. We also have our fixxer farm for sale and have had a few people look at it. We may have a buyer for that soon too!
For me it's all "good" stress. I have waited for this for 10 years. I have dreamed of our life on a farm many times over. I have even made two different vision boards. One was destroyed in a moment of frustration and despair, but I eventually made a new one at the urging of my husband. He knows how important this is to me, and he wants the same things for us. He just doesn't feel the urgency that I do. But I think part of it is because I am so decisive. When I decide I want something, I want it. I go after it. And I don't quit until I get it. I am very determined, and I don't give up easily. And this dream has been holding strong for over ten years and it hasn't waivered for one moment. Also, I think that the time is right. Our kids are older, they are on board, and we are at a good point in our lives.
So, I imagine the next couple of months there will be lots of stresses. Lots of frustration, heartache, headaches, and hopefully some joy thrown in. In the end it will all be worth it.
I will keep my positve attitude and be patient.
We are closer to achieving our dream than ever before, so for that I am grateful.
Here's to greener pastures...literally.