Hunting

I've mentioned before that we're trying to move to a different house. My older three kids go to school in one district that's about 15 miles from here, and my younger two go to school here. Needless to say, it's crazy at times with all of the running back and forth.

We've been just kinda'-sorta' looking for a while. Not being in a huge rush to move helps, but then again I've had the urge to really get the ball rolling lately so that we can hopefully be moved and settled well before the next school year starts - or better yet, as soon as this school year ends. I've been looking online, or calling about houses that I've seen while out driving around, and I've called realtors. We haven't really decided if we want to rent or buy yet for a few reasons - so we're just kind of waiting to see what happens.

Anyway, today The Dude and I went and looked at a house. It definitely has potential for us, in spite of the overly festive blue bathroom. It needs some work (and better paint colors) but it could be "our" house. There are a lot of details to work out with the seller though and we are trying to be very careful before we even decide if this is the one that we want to get.

So don't get too excited. We haven't decided for sure. It's still early.

But on the way back here, we stopped for lunch and talked about it some more. For a lot of reasons that I'm just not going to discuss because it's between me and him, whatever house we get will be in my name. Not his. Not ours. Mine.

He jokingly asked me if I was going to make him sign a lease when we moved in together. I laughed, told him no (actually I gave him a really dirty answer, but I'll leave that up to your imagination) and we continued on our merry way.

But then I started thinking. And processing. Because that's what I do.

Here we are, almost 17 months into this relationship - and he still puts up with me and my nonsense. Not only does he still put up with it, but he wants to live with it. Not only that, but he is willing to move in with us without anything on paper saying that I have to keep him around for the long haul.

Not that I plan on getting rid of him or anything, mind you. Because I don't. But that's a lot of trust on his part - and the fact that he trusts me that much is a lot for me to digest. This is a huge step for both of us for so many reasons, and it's scary. For once in my life though, I am not going to let fear stand in my way. Whether we end up with this house or another house, we are going to work together to make this happen.

And hopefully I won't lose any more of my mind in the process.