Days of Thankfulness: House
Today I am thankful for my house. I know, it’s not really my house, but I am thankful for the house that we get to live in via paying someone else to live here. I am so thankful for God’s providence in bringing us here and all the things that went into our getting this place. It is everything we hoped for and wanted for our intermediate home and I am still so amazed at His timing and grace.
As you all know, we moved in February, on the coldest day of the year, but we’ll get to that. This means we were house hunting in the dead of winter, desperately looking for something as our deadline was much closer than either of us had anticipated. We looked a little in December, but with Christmas, the whole thing was kind of a wash. Our search picked up again after the new year and with a lot of prayer for guidance we scoured Zillow in hopes of finding something with three bedrooms, but more realistically, two. Our list of requirements was a simple one: must allow cats, must be close to work, must have at least two bedrooms. We have a lot of stuff, and I’m not sure where we’d put it without an office space, but we were willing to try and figure it out, for the right place.
We went to see a couple places over the unusually warm week that followed. We saw a couple duplexes in Bellevue that just weren’t what we needed. Too small, or too many stairs, or just super wonky. We finally found a place in Forest Hills that sounded really good. It had a nice open kitchen and living area, an upstairs with two bedrooms and a bathroom on each floor. We’d have storage space and a garage and a back patio with a glass sliding door. It was a great place, but the location was questionable and it was all upstairs, over the garage. Moving would be painful. Still, we hadn’t found anything better, and it looked like, despite our misgivings about the road we’d have to drive up and the awkward turn onto the main street, we were going to take it.
Then we got a call. We had found this place that was an actual house with three bedrooms and inquired on a whim. It was a the top of our price range, but doable, nonetheless. We were a little surprised when we heard back and despite being inclined towards the other place, who wanted to know soon if we were taking it, we went to see what would be our new home. It snowed that day. Finally some winter weather, exactly when we didn’t need it. But we managed to get up the giant hill from Forest Hills alright, after swooping around to take one more look at the other place from the outside. We walked along carpet scraps to keep the new carpet clean from wet boots and toured the house. It was weirdly shaped, and everything had a step, but it was actually perfect. Three bedrooms, one of which was basically meant to be an office. A fire place, newly painted and new carpet, everything we could have wanted.
We hesitated only a little, with the other place still on the table, but this place was also great, we wanted a little time to think about it before we applied. Unfortunately, there was another couple coming to look at it the following day, around noon, and if they applied first they would get it. So we went home and prayed about it and it was very clear that we really actually wanted the house. The next morning we called right away and arranged a time to fill out the applications. Here is God’s providence. It was this crazy snow storm that day, not bad enough to keep us from coming out, but heavy enough to keep the other couple at home. They’d called the land lady and asked if they could reschedule, right after we’d called about applying and she told them she already had someone to take the place, but she’d let them know if we fell through. We didn’t fall through, and I was so relieved not to have competition for the house.
We are so blessed to have this place. I’m hoping to actually use the fireplace this year, when we have a free evening. We have a yard that’s a little wonky, but not too hard to take care off. I have a garden in the side yard where I sort of grew things this year. My tomatoes weren’t super successful, and my pepper plant was a super late bloomer, but I know what to do with them now, and I think next year’s crop will be much better. We have an office and a spare room now so my brother can spend the night after D&D and not have to sleep on the couch. We have our cats with us, which is the best part of being in a house. I am so thankful that God provided us with this place, with the space and the rooms that we needed in a location that we really like. We’re right down from the firer hall, which made it super easy to vote and there’s a Dollar General right across the main road from us, an easy walk if I need something while Logan’s at work.
We love our house and we’re so excited to start a family here someday. This will be our home until we save up enough to buy our own house. By Logan’s estimation that’ll be at least another five years, probably more. It’s different, settling in here than in our old apartment. The apartment was great, but it wasn’t a permanent home, and we knew that. Here we have every intention of staying a long time. Today I am thankful for our house. What are you thankful for?
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