A contract...yes, I may be hyperventilating....

What follows is what I wrote yesterday.  Yes, I'm still in shock and wary.  Hopefully, this time the result will not end with owners who refuse to negotiate...

I WAS going to write about the fight the Christmas tree and I had; but this news trumps that - besides, the tree and I have since made up...but remind me to tell you about that fight.  It was EPIC and ugly.

Here's the deal...if you are house hunting here's my top tip: See the house in the daylight.  When you go in the dead of night you can't see ANYTHING regarding the outside of the house.

What we saw on Wednesday was intriguing.  The neighborhood is a desired one.  The price, for said neighborhood, was almost spot on.  The age of the home is fairly new-ish.  Just about everything about the house was perfect...even the areas where compromise was needed; which means that any compromises made were compromises that we could live with; except (you knew there was one, didn't you?).

The ONE issue?  The living room.  It is awkward and tiny...like REALLY tiny.  So we went to look at it again yesterday...during the day.  And again, we both came away thinking that this house could work...if we can figure out a way around the living room.

This morning I had a thought...when we have guests over they tend to congregate either in the kitchen, around the dining room table or in the backyard (depending on the season); we have rarely had people over to sit in our living room.

All the other compromises had already been resolved in my mind and that little detail nailed down our decision just a little more...but I had one more concern...where would the Christmas tree go?  Had we seen this house in July, the whole Christmas tree placement issue would have never reared it's ugly head.  So despite the illuminating thought about how we entertain, this remained an issue.

Until this afternoon, as I was discussing the dilemma with my co-worker/friend.  She insisted that I pull up the pictures.  We pored over the pictures and she looked me in the eye and said, "Haven't you had to compromise your furniture layout EVERY year in EVERY house to accommodate the Christmas tree?"  And I had to admit that yes, this was the case in every house we've had, save one.  And then I realized...that was one less issue to worry about with this house.

I am still concerned about the size of the living room but we have scheduled ANOTHER walk through for the sole purpose of measuring their furniture to compare with ours.  If their furniture is larger (and I think it might be) then this could possibly work.

I have to admit, the only thing holding me back from telling the Husband, "Let's DO this!" is the fact that I am terrified that we will commit, buy it, move in and realize that we've made a horrible mistake.

Then I think...even though previously we've built all the houses we've bought together, there is always that element of "what if?"

And?  As I was typing this post we received a text from the realtor...someone else has made an offer.  We have countered.  And now we wait.  While wringing our hands.  And telling each other that if it is meant to be then it will all work out.

Have I mentioned how much I hate house hunting?  Of course I have.  And I do.  I seriously hate it.  Especially because now?  If we win this round we will, possibly, be stuck with a house where our furniture doesn't fit.

And all of a sudden this post has been hijacked to real time as we wait...

And it looks like we are in a bidding war...

And it looks like we may have a house...

Oh dear God...

And as of this morning, we have a contract.  If all goes well, we will be moving to a house, that may or may not accommodate our furniture, in little over a month.  Cross your fingers for us, because God knows after our past experiences, literally anything could happen.

Apparently, unpacking all those boxes did the trick.  Now, let's just hope that we will have a mild January, because God knows I don't want to move in the snow.  And that living room?  I think I can make it work.