And suddenly we’re here…

And suddenly we’re here…

Things are happening around here. Big things. And oddly enough, we just gently tapped them to see what would happen and suddenly things are in motion. Funny how that happens.

I confessed to you in my millennial money matters post that we’ve spent a sickening amount on rent over the last 6.5 years. And yes, while this is true, I must also point out to you that we were in no position to buy as of late.

My football coaching husband’s career had us picking up and moving to God only knows where every 18 months or so. Many times, I wouldn’t even have all the boxes unpacked before it was time to track down the packing tape again. Renting worked for us. Year long leases felt too long and constricting. Let me remind you of the great depression of 2012-13. I was financially tied to a house here in Charlotte, while my husband up and moved away.

The part time job I kept merely paid the rent. I resented waking up every morning to find my husband’s side of the bed empty. I cried on my commute to work every day. That’s what happens when your life plans change only 6 months into a 12 month lease. But luckily, leases end and depressions lift.

But we’re in our thirties now. Our 7th anniversary is in May. (How in the hell is that possible?) And we’re toeing the line of baby? Or no baby? Yes, that’s right my friends, we’re in our thirties and haven’t made up our minds on that one. And that’s okay. Don’t let life and social norms pressure you into a decision you’re not ready to make.

We quickly maxed out our potential in the apartment we’ve been so happy in. Everything felt bigger than us when we first got here. The rent, triple what we were paying in Buies Creek felt like a fun challenge and offered potential for a different kind of life. Apartment hunting felt like trying on different hats. And this one made us feel the most different. We wanted that.

And we got that.

But now, only two short years later, we’re ready to move on. That’s the thing with adulthood, these big changes often approach you without warning. When you’re young, doing life with training wheels, big changes are dressed up as school years and graduations and engagements. Each providing you with the cushion of expectations and time to prepare. Being an adult, I’ve come to realize, is made up primarily of expecting the unexpected and always preparing for what might come next.

The truth is, we’re not buying a house. This might help you understand that decision. But we are moving into a house. A house that will allow us to pay off debts, save to eventually buy a house, and stretch us into the next chapter of our lives. I didn’t see it coming. And I’m sad to leave our little corner of the city. But change has proven to never be a bad thing.

Ready or not. Here we go.