How I Found Our House

When Jeff and I moved to our little town and our OLD (1840!) house, I knew we found "home". It's like a movie set here, really. A little old main street, tons of parks, a quaint downtown grocery store, schools all within walking distance.

After Baby #4 came along, we were squashed in our old little house, but wanted to stay "in town". Only 3 little bedrooms, one without a closet, the other two with TINY ones. A kitchen the size of a small hallway...it just wasn't working anymore. We decided putting an addition on would be a headache...160 years...who knows what you'd find.

I made up my mind to find a place roomier enough for all of us, with more privacy, and in the same area we were presently in.

So on my daily walks, runs, bike rides, I had fallen in love with a particular house on a small quiet street...one of those streets no one even knows exists. I just LOVED this house. Everytime I went by, I felt some connection to it. I know it's weird, but I just did. The roses over the iron gate, the gardens, the English Country style...I adored it. The lights were always on in what I thought was the kitchen (I was wrong...living room) and I pictured myself cooking dinner and puttering around.

I got this idea of putting letters in mailboxes of houses I thought had potential. I'd heard desperate people have done this, and I thought it couldn't hurt.

One day I got up the gumption to write the note. I complimented the owners on their gorgeous, well-maintained house, and told them that our family had out-grown OUR house, and if, by chance, they were ever interested in selling...

I got really brave, threw it in the mailbox and high-tailed it back down the driveway as fast as my legs could carry me.

After a couple weeks, nothing.... I thought....I'll take that as a no.

Then, a year later!, I came home from errands, and Jeff said, "Some older lady called you about some house she wanted you to come see? Something about some letter? I had no idea what she was talking about but I wrote down her name and number." I had never told him what I did! Ooops, must have forgot...hee hee hee!

I jumped up and down for joy! It was mine, mine, mine! Grabbed the phone and called. She said she had saved my letter and knew that the time had come to move closer to her daughter down South. She wanted to know if I could come and take a look. I ran out the door and headed over right then.

She said, "Now you just go look around, honey. I raised my family here and I'm ready to move on."

So I did.
And I had butterflies in my stomach the whole time.
Please have 4 bedrooms. IT DID!
Please have big closets! IT DID!
Please have more than one bathroom! 3!
Please have a basement! YES SIREEE!
Then the biggest obstacle of all...the one I would need to convince Jeff of the potential...the backyard.

I slowly peered out the back windows...
Holey Smokies! Huge and TOTAL privacy. Like a walled estate! And big enough for a soccer game!
I told her I'd take it and wrote her a check on the spot.

Oh, no I didn't...really. I thanked her profusely and said I was REALLY REALLY interested but my husband would have to see it....could he come over right now? Of course, she said. I waited with baited breath at home after I pushed him out the door. Seriously, I MADE him go.

The first thing he said when he got back- "Did you see the backyard!"

Yippeee!!!

I was soooo nervous for months. We had to wait till her daughter came up and then make an offer. I made Jeff do it...offer low, I told him, but I wanted it more than anything.

He was nervous...and they said, "Sure, that sounds great." We closed on the house in 30 days.
It was seriously that easy.
We put our old house up for sale, and it sold in ONE day. I thought we were the only people who would want a 160 year old house...but apparently not. We were so lucky!

We moved during one extremely busy summer. I knew exactly what I needed to do to every room...a kitchen overhaul, and cosmetic changes in every room....but I knew it had good bones, and so much potential. I had it planned out and worked my tail off to make it happen.

There have been a few moments in the last couple years where I have pondered the thought of moving...to something bigger and newer...moments of pure insanity...because I LOVE this house.
We will be here forever. And one day, some girl will put a note in my mailbox...

Befores and Afters
Kitchen

As much as it killed me to do it, I turned this little 3 season porch into our kitchen dining area... much more useful:

Living/Family Room

Some Bedrooms

Basement

Den

Dining Room

Master Bedroom

Master Bath