We got the house!

I am so excited! Our offer was accepted and we close mid-July. I have already began picturing myself there with the kids growing up. My husband and I both already have ideas of how to make improvements and where we want to place certain furniture. Moving is so exciting. It's like a new fresh start. I am also very excited for my husband. He has been with the same company in Columbia for 9 years and he is due a change. I think he will enjoy working with a smaller group of people and I think we are both going to enjoy being in a smaller, safer environment for our children.
Every time we travel to Greenwood we never want to leave. We both say it already feels like home. I think one of my favorite things about moving there will be getting to go out with my husband to the uptown area. We have been there once, had a great meal at Buffalo Grill and listened to a band. Gosh, I can't remember the last time we did that! It was like being surrounded by family and friends although we didn't know a single person at the restaurant. We both had wings and shared some chips and queso. The wings were great and the chips are homemade! This is a very good place to bring out of town friends or family that want to have a good time and have some yummy food!www.BuffaloGrillSC.com -check out the online coupons!
 The home we purchased is in a lake community and we will definitely be taking advantage of that! We both love being on the lake but the hassle of hooking up the boat and driving to a landing then getting it back out when you're done is exhausting! Now, we will just walk over to the dock and take the boat out for a spin..no hassle!
 After years of job interviews and decisions I think we have made the best one for our family. Believe it or not at one time we were planning to move to Texas then Indiana! Neither of us wanted to be that far away from family. And now we are 20 minutes from Jeff's parents in Clinton, SC. His niece recently moved to Greenwood and she is crazy about our daughters. My family lives in Tennessee so our advantage is the interstate system and not having to drive through Atlanta anymore! We are only 2 weeks away from our new adventure and I couldn't be more proud of my husband or more excited for our family.(picture was taken in the uptown area of Greenwood during our last visit)

House Hunters

We spent this last weekend looking at houses in Greenwood. Oddly enough we did not just look at 3 choices then choose the one with the 'open floor plan but small bathrooms.' We looked at 10 or was it 22 houses around Greenwood. We found a great realtor with a spunky personality that took us out and showed us a lot of options. We knew the basic area we wanted to live in but were open to seeing homes in other areas of town too. Some had a great neighborhood but it was not the house for us. Some were great houses but the neighborhood was not for us. And some had everything we were looking for but smelled of dogs. Actually a lot of houses we looked at smelled of dog. Note to others trying to sell: Clean up the dog smell!
 Actually we ended up choosing a house we saw online and hated! We didn't even really care to see it in person but our realtor wanted to show it to us anyway. I find this theme a lot when making important decisions in life. You never really know what you want until you' try it on for size.' When my husband and I were dating he surprised me with wanting to go ring shopping. No need, I replied, I already know the ring I want. In fact I have known it for years. A solitaire on platinum, done! He convinced me to shop anyway and what girls says no to ring shopping? So we went and my 'dream ring' did not feel right on my finger. It looked very plain and ordinary, like I had seen this a hundred times before. So I was open to looking at different types of rings and finally settled on a white gold flower burst stone that was made to be worn on the right hand and not for engagements. But it was me, and it was my ring. Wedding dress shopping brought about the same feelings of knowing what I want, so no need to shop. In fact, I actually ordered a dress I saw online just like the one I had always had in my head but had never seen in person. Can you believe that? Who does that? ME! Because I always think I know what I want without trying it on. I hated sweetheart strapless dresses so what do you think I ended up with in the long-run? A sweetheart strapless dress!
 I think you never know how you feel about anything until you take a minute to stop and try it on for size. So when it came to our new home, I thought 'could I see us living here?' 'Will the girls enjoy the backyard?' Where will we place the Christmas tree? Then we left Greenwood, we came back to Columbia and went back through each house, narrowing down our favorites, and finally 'trying a couple of them on.' I think we both knew which house was 'the one.' We made an offer and the seller has until 6pm tonight to decide. We love the neighborhood, we love the house and we love the school district. And its closer to the in-laws which is always a plus when you need help like we do! I have already been trying it on in my head and its perfect! Now we wait,.....

It's all over but the crying

We sold our house. This house that Jeff bought when he was single. This house that I would come over to when we were dating and he would grill out steaks and try to impress me with his culinary skills. This house that we came back to after he proposed at the state capitol in November of 2008. This house that we returned to after our wedding cruise. This house that we brought home not one, but 2 babies from the hospital. This house that we started our lives together...that I started my life. Sometimes I can't remember what my life was like before I met Jeff, before kids and before I became an adult. Those are memories of a lesser Alison. This Alison is amazing. I have grown into a woman I always knew was inside me...all while living in this house.And now it's not ours anymore. I have cried and mourned and then laughed for being so silly. I mean its just a house. I have lived in many and will grow and learn in more. But this one, this is the one I began my life in. I look around and think, that is where Mattie first crawled or Virginia first walked. The living room where I stayed awake many nights with a fussy baby and took long naps the following day. We have sweet neighbors, my kids attended a wonderful preschool and I have fond memories of friends. If we have all of this then why would we ever leave. Well, you can't stay in one place too long or you get comfortable. You can't stay in one job too long or it becomes boring and mundane. Life is always moving, always changing and its one of the few surpirses left. I will miss this house, my home. I will miss this town although I have said I hate it. And I will miss the friends that feel like family. On to the next adventure! Get ready Greenwood, here come the Wrights!