The House

For those who haven't heard (sha, right), we bought a house.

Not any house. Pretty much my dream house. The house I've been searching for lo these many months. The garage, the big kitchen, the arched doorways, the slate roof, the leaded glass, the gabled windows. The House.

Want to know the funny part? 

It's six houses away from where I live now. 

*snort*

So here's the deal. This is a house I have drooled over since we moved into this neighborhood. It's about 10 years older than the rest of the 'hood (well, on other streets. This street was the first one built and all the houses on it are that age). I've always thought it was beautiful and had never been inside.

About two weeks ago, we heard it was going on the market. But DH wasn't interested. Said the corner--it's on a corner lot--was too busy. OK fine. Let someone else have it.

Friday night, we were on a walk through the neighborhood with the kids. And DH finally noticed that the house has a very thick row of very tall evergreen shrubs along the property line. They're about 10 feet tall and back to back, so you can't see the road from the yard.  He's a sly one, that DH. It's only been nine years.

So he says, "Let's see if she'll show us the house before she lists it." And he rings the bell. She answers, she says it's going on the market next month, she gives him a ballpark price, and she invites us all in. For the tour.

Oh.

My.

God.

Instant love. This is my house, you know? This is everything I've been looking for. Charming bedrooms with very cool lines. Plaster crown moulding--nobody has that anymore. A family room AND a living room. A huge, beautiful, wonderful eat-in kitchen with an island and a table with a built-in bench and tons of windows. A great basement with tall ceilings. Built-ins everywhere. No question in my mind at all. Gimme.

We came home. We paced around. We checked email obsessively to see if she'd emailed us her exact price. We went to bed and laid there until 2 a.m., when I finally passed out--I have no idea when DH fell asleep.

Saturday morning, I checked my email early. There was a price. A very low price. I called our agent. She ran over. We walked through the house again. My heart just about burst.

We walked outside. My agent said, "I want to write this contract right now and get it signed before they come to their senses."

And that, my dear friends, is exactly what we did. Lock, stock, and barrel. My house. 

Sunday was my birthday. It was wonderful. :)