anniversary

I’ve been wanting to blog on this for awhile, but the date came and went without any fanfare from me. On May 11 I celebrated the seven year anniversary of being a home owner. It really amazes me—I don’t think if you had asked me if I would still be in it even five years from then I would’ve said yes. Wow. I remember it being such a huge, major decision in my life. I was in the middle of switching jobs when I applied for the mortgage, I had no idea what all the fine print meant, I really was all about the bottom line monthly cost and the fact that it was going to be a good thing that I wasn’t “throwing money away” into renting somewhere.

The idea was planted when a friend and I were renting a house (for very cheap) from a lady who was going to be selling the house upon her six month return from Arizona. We loved the house and it would have been very convenient to continue living there if I was able to afford it. Unfortunately, her asking price was not in my pre-approved mortgage budget. It was about then that my loving family got super involved and began giving me all kinds of loving advice as to how to proceed with my life concerning home ownership. I say loving because they do love me, but at the time it was maybe more smothering…

Needless to say, it was my grandpa who was doing drive-bys in neighborhoods on the northeast side of GR and told me about the house on Prospect. I had already looked at several houses within my limited price range and was getting rather discouraged with the level of disarray most of these houses were in. But, ever hopeful, I had my realtor set up a visit to this one. Upon walking in, I was greeted with the overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke. Nice. The owners had already moved out a few months before, so the house was empty, but their scent still lingered. I pressed on though, and knew the second I walked into the roomy, sunny family room in the back that this house needed me in it. The other bonus (compared to the other houses in my price range) was the fact the bathroom was actually nice! I had fallen in love.

To make an already long story a bit shorter, I took a vacation in there, and upon my return was able to make an offer on the house. On May 11, 2001, I signed the closing papers.

Since that date, I have had four great roommates rotate through, two dogs, and one husband. I have had several fun parties, but also scary moments. I remember wanting to do and change so much within and around the house, but only time & finances determine what I’ve been able to accomplish. I’ve heard the phrase that a home’s walls should “speak of laughter.” Well, reflecting back on all that has occurred within the walls of this home on Prospect in the last seven years, I can most assuredly say that they would speak of joy.

Now that is a prospective-life. :)