I had a horrible dream the other night that I was moving and my Aunt Judy came over to help and chewed me out for not telling my mother I was moving. I woke up and promptly called my mother to tell her I was, in fact, moving.
That's right, we're moving.
Five miles up the very same street on which we already live.
With the birth of Bonnie last year, we no longer fit in our current home. Glen and Grace actually moved into the second home on our property last fall, in order to give us enough room. Granted, my parents raised 5 children in a three bedroom home, then expanded it to five bedrooms when baby number 6 was on the way, followed closely by babies 7 and 8. Jeff worries constantly about the kids in the other house. He's certain something will happen to them over there. Me? I just upped their life insurance policies and popped a Xanax. (Joking. I don't have any Xanax!)
Also, I am married to a packrat who is the only child of two packrats. Need elbow length leather gloves with delicate stitching for your lady? In five colors? Check! How about a collection of discontinued Avon perfume bottles in various novelty shapes? Check! Or, are you interested in an issue of National Geographic from the year 1918? Check! How about any issue ever made since 1918? Double check! (Actually, I love the leather gloves and the National Geographics, but I believe I've made my point.)
So, there you have it.
We got the opportunity to rent a home up the street for less than our current mortgage. It's a large home, with more than enough room for us and our treasures. In the meantime, we'll rent out both of our homes to cover our mortgage. The woman we are renting from lives in the Bay Area and plans on retiring to this home in 5 years. In five years, we'll be down to two kids (and hopefully fewer things, as every year, I serreptitiously weed out more and more "treasures") and able to move back into our home.
Lastly, and on a somewhat soapbox note, when Bonnie was born, ole Meaty and I were determined that she would not go to daycare. When our older kids were babies, we were lucky to arrange our schedules to avoid daycare and we were determined to do the same with Bonnie. In order to make this happen, Jeff cut his hours to part time in the evenings and stays home with Bonnie during the day. After working and going to school while the older kids were babies, he absolutely relishes his time with her and does a fantastic job of taking care of his family as the housewife/husband/person/gnome. However, this cut in his hours results in an cut in our income. Taking some of the pressure off of us financially just makes sense, especially with the economic conditions of late. (Don't worry Mom, both of our jobs are solid.)
We're excited to move. Wouldn't you be, if you were moving here?
Gorgeous place! Any guest rooms in there ;-)
Posted by: Chad Too | 24 February 2009 at 01:16 PM
Wow! The challenge will be moving back to your home in five years!
Posted by: Mom | 24 February 2009 at 02:12 PM
Ooooh, that looks like a great house! I'd be standing at the window all day long.
Have fun moving. Having just finished a three-room switcheroo, I am loathe to move anything bigger than a candy bar now.
Posted by: GAF | 24 February 2009 at 02:58 PM
WOW! I am jealous!
And I second Chad Too's question. Any guest rooms in there? :)
Posted by: skye72 | 28 February 2009 at 10:37 AM
Happy Mommy day...!!!
Posted by: Da Zip | 11 May 2009 at 10:17 AM
Aww, you have to move into the woods next to a nice house?! That's rough.
Posted by: jordonm | 02 June 2009 at 09:46 AM
Its something like one of the great houses shown in our Indian jungle contender show" Is jungle se mujhe bachao". Its really nice.
Posted by: Ranvijay | 12 October 2009 at 06:49 AM
Doesn't it compell to remind scene from Anaconda. Yes ! This may be a great place to hang out with friends but alone its dangerous. Find out some useful online resources on Newstrens
Posted by: Vcope | 23 June 2010 at 06:59 PM
Hoping you revisit your blog again... and whatever happened to Chubby Girl Brigade? :(
Posted by: Maven | 28 February 2011 at 12:58 PM