The End

So we signed all the papers and our end is done. We just have to wait for the buyers to walk through the house and sign and then everything will be final. It's so stressful! It's 100x more stressful than I thought it would be. There were so many papers to be signed, and even though I was listening carefully to what they were saying, and looking them over as best I could, who knows if I really understood everything that I was signing. Much of it was similar to the papers I signed to buy the house, and that document I'd read thoroughly several times back in January, but still. Those things are never worded simply. And now I am regretting not taking longer to go over the papers with Eduardo. It's both of our house, and I was so caught up in trying to make sure I understood that I wasn't even thinking about whether or not he did. And I feel like he didn't get to take the time he might have wanted to look everything over before signing it all away.
*(Later on that evening) I was really pissed at myself for not thinking about that. It was so unnerving though to have all the months of hard work come down to that moment, and then to have it over and done so quickly. The whole thing took about 25 minutes. That's it. Afterward Eduardo seemed down, but he had to go to work, and I was so freaked out and out of sorts that I didn't want to go back to the apartment to sit and wait to go back to the real estate office to pick up the check after they were done with the walk through. So I went to Barnes and Noble to distract myself but it didn't work. Between the stress of signing papers, and feeling bad that I didn't give Eduardo more of a chance to look things over, I was almost in tears! And then we couldn't even talk about it because he had to go to work!
The agent called me back around 12:30 and I had the chance to meet the buyers. They were our age with two kids, and seemed really cool. For some reason that made me feel better. They also said it was OK if Eduardo brought his brother by to see the house next week when he is in town. I was really glad to be able to tell Eduardo that. So after chatting with them for a few minutes the title company lady gave me a packet with all the signed documents, and a check for the sale price minus the commission and taxes and I went back to the apartment to wait for Eduardo before taking it to the bank. After all that we have been through since last...October when we decided to move, I felt like we both needed to take that check to the bank. It represented months of hard work and tough decisions, and it was also the finish line, the pot of gold at the end of a long, sometimes stressful rainbow, that we decided we were going to be brave enough to pursue. So together we went to the bank and deposited the check. Not only had we restored Miss Meadowlawn to her former (or never before) glory, but we accomplished our goal, and flipped our first house!
*(Several days later) Then we went out for a celebration dinner and Eduardo got pneumonia.

THE END

Saying Goodbye

Last selfie in Miss Meadowlawn :(

I don't know if it's my hormones or what but I have had a HELL of a day! I am so emotionally exhausted I can barely think. Last night we got the last of the stuff out of the house. When we were leaving Eduardo said "goodbye house" and as I got in my car I burst into tears and cried all the  way back to the apartment! What the hell? Still I woke up this morning feeling pretty good. I slept OK, and dreamed that Kurt Warner made me a turkey sandwich. Then I had coffee in my new owl mug, and admired my fall tree, and looked around our new apartment, and thought about how exciting today was going to be.
Then Eduardo got up and we went back to the house to rake at least the leaves off the driveway (because they are out of control now and EVERYWHERE!) We did that, then took one last walk around the house, and again I felt like crying. I don't know why. I'm not really sad, but I guess I think Eduardo might be and just the thought of that is making me feel extra emotional about the whole thing. He worked so hard, and put so much energy and effort and love into that house that I can't imagine how he feels now that it's time to let it go. And then I got to thinking about all the memories we made there, in that short amount of time! Peeing on a stick in the upstairs bathroom is when I found out I'm going to be a mom. Eduardo spent the first months knowing he is going to be a father there. I used a snow blower and mowed a lawn for the first time, and we had so many learning experiences and fun times with Dad doing the remodel. The more I thought about it the more bummed out I felt. I swear by 10:00 this morning my nerves were SHOT. And we still had to go to the closing!

Last walk through and look around.

The final goodbye and the last look back.

Moving Out

It's hard to believe, but we are in the process of moving...again. This will be our third time this year. Dad is helping move the big stuff, and then when the guys are at work, I plan to take everything else over to the apartment in light and tiny increments. There is so much to do in so little time! And it's hard to go from something as beautiful (and huge) as Meadowlawn into a tiny, dumpy apartment...But it's all part of the plan. Hopefully it will all feel worth it when we get that check at closing! In the mean time though, it's back to work! 

Back on Track

Finally the sale is pending!

Everything worked out with the appraiser and his ridiculous demands, and we are back on track. But now everything has suddenly been shifted into high gear. We were so unsure about whether everything was going to go through that we didn't pack anything up (in case we had to put the house back on the market) but then all of the sudden, today, our agent says that we are scheduled to close next Thursday at 11:00! And just like that we need to have everything boxed up and out of the house in less than a week! Luckily we didn't unpack much, but there is still a lot of furniture (that I can't help move now!), and boxes and the whole garage! We are going to borrow a POD from Dad I think, and we also need to find somewhere to live! I was hoping to move into the downstairs of the coffee hosue, but after talking to dad that isn't going to work, so now I think we are going to try to rent one of the small one bedroom apartments just around the corner. So much to do! So little time!

The Appraiser

The dangerous crack.

 This whole selling process is going much slower than I thought it would. We didn't hear back about the inspection forever, and then the same thing happened with the appraiser. And he came back to our agent saying that the comps he had were too low, so our agent found a couple more that were higher (thankfully!) and so the appraiser OK'd it for $500 over what we were asking. But then a couple days ago we got a call from our agent saying that the appraiser told the mortgage company that there was a crack in the driveway that was a hazard (to women in high-heeled shoes apparently) and that it needed to be repaired before the loan could be approved! I was like WTF? Seriously? First of all he wasn't even the inspector. And then of all things to complain about it was the 1/8" crack in the driveway that was going to hold everything up?  Anyway Eduardo fixed it the other morning, and I sent pictures to our agent who sent them to the appraiser. Then yesterday the guy came back and said we needed to get rid of the uneven cement blocks on the side parking area, because they too are a hazard. I was really upset when I got that news. It's so annoying that the whole thing is being held up by stupid little things, and that I can't even do them while Eduardo is at work because I can't lift or do anything anymore! Anyway, Eduardo moved the blocks when he got home and I got gravel and filled them in. Hopefully this is good enough to close! How annoying though!

Our second emergency repair

The Last BBQ

We know we are coming to the end of our stay here. We aren't exactly sure how long it will last, but we decided to BBQ one more time in the back yard, and really enjoy the beautiful fall day we had last Sunday. It was a great afternoon. Just me, Eduardo and our little Tadpole incubating in my stomach:)

Making Memories

Opening Day of 2014 NFL Season!

Football toothpicks? Check!

Cheese hat? Check!

Eduardo's Happy Football Season Present!

Ahhh...Bathtime!

Someone didn't want to get up. But I made the bed anyway.

Eduardo's Birthday!

Eduardo's present from Tadpole!

Nap time!