Well we did it. After the culmination of months of discussion we put the For Sale sign in the front yard. That’s right, it is official (or at least Craig’s-List-For-Sale-By-Owner-sign-out-front- house-for-sale-web-page official). Of course the questions have started. That is fine, it is all part of it, I would be the same way. A sampling of questions:
1. ‘Why? Curious. Wish we could buy it.’2. ‘Did someone pull a prank on you an put the sign in your yard?’
3. ‘Are you moving out of the area?’
4. ‘Why would you want to sell your house?’
5. ‘Where are you going?’
So it begins. The main reason we are selling, M-O-N-E-Y. There I said it. That thing that Dutch people don’t like to talk about. I suppose to say that so succinctly doesn’t really explain it in enough detail to satisfy all questions. Bottom line, income has gone down and expenses continue to go up. While some of the choices for the income going down have been our own (namely me giving up my big law firm paycheck to maintain my sanity and hopefully restore my health), some reasons for income going down have been out of our control. The expenses going up? Again some reasons we take full responsibility for, others completely out of our control.
‘It is just a house’. I find that I have repeated this phrase to several during the last few days. I honestly mean it. While this ‘house’ is currently our ‘home’ I know that we can make a home anywhere, even if that ends up meaning our next home is half this size again. I’m ok with giving up my custom-designed and built home. It was a fun project (although honestly some of the fun of building was taken away as it was during a very difficult time of our lives), but I am finished with it now and ready to see where I can create a home next.
My difficulty with all of this is going to be the part where I need to be still, and P-A-T-I-E-N-T for God to reveal the where, when and how we are going to move from this house. I have this problem with making decisions. No, it is not that I can’t make decisions, I can with no problem. I can also make them and not waiver and go back on them. No, my problem is that once I make them I want the decisions carried out and plans implemented immediately. So while I made the decision in my head many, many months ago that as soon as Kirsten graduated we would put the house up for sale, others in my household have taken a little more time to get on board. So while the sign just went up yesterday, I am already planning the king of all garage sales where we sell EVERYTHING. Ok, maybe not everything, I want to keep my Grandma Johnson’s and my Auntie Al’s china that I inherited. Everything else can really go. Oh and ok, with the exception of my sewing room contents...I really love that Viking embroidery machine I have and those stacks and stacks of fabric that I have projects planned for–those I really would like to keep.
Which brings me to the next thing I am going to have to process with the other members of my household: what to keep and what to get rid of. I believe that is going to be enough material for SEVERAL blog entries.
Stay tuned....
Wait a minute. It's a "DUTCH THING"??? I had no idea really. And yet it explains so much. Here I am....been half Dutch all my life. And have just now learned that Dutch people don't like to talk about money.
ReplyDeleteBack to you. You will all survive this just fine. These are the experiences that change us for the better. I totally get what you say about once the decision has been made you are ready to ACT NOW! It really makes a good deal of sense anyway, with two out of three being out of the nest more or less. Just another transition period in life. Life is chock full of 'em!
Will be eagerly awaiting future writings. :)