Wow! Eeek!

Hey we got it! Well, after a bit of doing. Turns out there were a few offers that all came in at the same time for the house we wanted, so then the sellers came back and told everyone to give their last, best offer and they'd choose from those. Ugh. Hate that, because you have no idea if your offer would have won as it stood or if you need to change it. So going with the advice of our realtor, we changed it, and it came out the winner. Of course, now I at least am second-guessing myself and wondering if we really want this house (YES!) in this neighborhood (maybe not) at this price out of pocket (maybe - we'd known it was alwasys a possibility). Aaaagh! I wouldn't mind nearly completely depleting savings so much if I could just feel some peace here. Enter the temple tonight. Funny how nothing can change there except my feelings and suddenly everything will not only be all right, but completely wonderful. Assuming this is the best place for us. So things are still not quite settled, but if we want this place, it 's ours. What a fast change in life. We only SAW the place last Thursday!

So without more pictures than the one listed on the web, here's a bit about this place we're deciding over. It's in Richmond, a few miles north of Smithfield. It's in kind of an older type neighborhood with cows and a barn across the street (not unusual even in Smithfield) and a brand-new subdivision going in a block or so down the street. The street seems to be relatively quiet, but we're not sure about potential neighborhood kids. It's about two blocks from the elementary school (a K-5 here) and a few blocks either way from the middle school (6-7) and the 8-9 center (yes, that's 8-9 grades). So the only kids who'd have to be bussed are those going to high school (and early morning seminary when it applies . . . break out the family bus, lol!).

The house was built in 1996, has 3234 sq ft with a garage on about a third of an acre. It's really nice inside. It has a nice sized living room off the entry way, and then a nice big, open kitchen area in the back. It has a bar area, kind of at an angle with chairs attached, leading to a dining area with a bay window. There's also a small family area off the kitchen area, and then three bedrooms on the main level (including the master bedroom and bath . . . which has a nice deep jetted tub). Downstairs was built as a mother-in-law apartment, so it has a door at the bottom of the stairs (can you say nice for lowering sound?). There's a nice large game room and a separate area for the TV, complete with a tiny former kitchen (no cupboards or cooking area anymore but still a sink, counter, and mini fridge). There are two bedrooms downstairs, one of which is large enough that it just shouts, "Three girls right here!" Nice big windows in the walk-out basement, and ceiling fans in the rooms (that are staying since there is no AC). There are no vents in this house, so it'll be nice not to be able to hear quite as clearly what's going on in a room directly above or below you. And heating? This is one that I've never had before. This place has hot water heating in the floor. It's supposed to be nice and efficient with very even heating, and I know at least that it keeps the floors from freezing your feet (we looked at the place with our shoes off). Outside, there's a shed, a garden with a little picket fence around it, and a firepit. There's also room for a shop for Steve sometime in the future. =) Jenero likes the great big tree to one side of the yard that has the broken ropes of a former swing still attached. So if we did a swing, best get rope that won't break this time, lol!

So who knows? I THINK it's the right place for us, but fortunately, if I cannot settle down with all this, there's still ways built in our offer to get out. Am I wishy-washy or what? More later. =)