Looking For Home

With all the trials and tribulations of the past 10 months dealing with Logan and his GERD, it has become painfully obvious how isolated we are here in the West end of Ottawa.

All of our support system, friends and family alike, live in the East end. It's been tough for them to find the time to be here to help us when we needed it. It's been tough for us to be so far away from everyone, and feeling like we had no right to call on them knowing how far they would have to travel. It's been tough for me, being here alone with 2 kids while Carlos is at work.

So, we've decided to pick up and move to the East end to be near everyone important to us. This has filled us with joy and excitement, as well as fear and anxiety.

We went looking at model homes yesterday, for the first time. (We were supposed to go last Saturday, but two little snotty boys put the kibosh on that plan!) We decided a few weeks ago that new construction might be our best option. We could get the floor plan that we want, and a planned move-in date for less than the same house built by someone else two years ago. We can save money going this route, and have a plan and time line to go by. This will be useful for selling our own house...having a date to work toward rather than looking for a previously-enjoyed home at the same time as selling our current house. Moving with two young children is hard enough...we're trying to make it as easy on ourselves as possible. We really liked what we saw yesterday...one model in particular. So now the number crunching begins. Hopefully we can manage it on one salary. It's all so exciting!

On the other hand, the thought of selling this house is stressful to say the least. Getting the house ready for sale isn't going to be easy. Some things need to be updated (kitchen, bathrooms) before we put it up for sale. Some yard work needs to be done as well. And then there's the clutter....all the clutter that comes with having two kids in a tiny townhome. We are going to have to purge purge purge! And somethings will need to be packed up and put in storage. Luckily my SIL has offered her garage, so we won't have to pay for a storage unit.

And then there's the memories. All the memories of first words, first steps...I've never like this house, and was always looking forward to leaving. But having children has made me attached to this place. It's probably good that we're moving now...not sure if I could leave a place that my kids had lived in for years and years. Ya...I'm a sentimental fool.

But I realize that these memories have been recorded in the form of TONS of digital pictures and videos. The memories will still be in my head and in my heart. And there are many more memories to be made in our new home.

So I'm trying to keep the sadness at leaving the only home the boys have known at bay by focusing on the positive. If all goes well, we will be moving into a brand new home before Christmas. A home with the exact layout that we want, with the colours, flooring and finishes of our choosing. We will be closer to friends and family (which means I will probably be getting out more...woohoo!). A fresh start for our family!

Now....how are we going to find the time and energy to do this?