Obsession

Last time I told you about my break ups, this time I'm talking about my obsession. Yeah, I have problems. Bear with me.

If you don't want all the details, skip to the next line below.

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I have moved a lot. I was born in Provo, Utah, moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho when I was less than a year and lived in two different homes there. My family moved to Phoenix, Arizona when I was 6 and we lived in two different homes there (attended 3 different schools). Then we moved to a farm in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania when I was 9 and lived there until I graduated from high school.

I began college at Ricks in Rexburg, Idaho when I was 18, lived a semester in China that following winter, and then returned to Rexburg. I met Joe. I lived in 4 different apartments in Rexburg before I got married to Joe in July of 2001. We didn't have anywhere to live for a week before we left for China, and got lucky because the lady that managed the last girls' apt. I lived in said they would let us pay $10 a day for that week--but we didn't know that until the night we returned to Rexburg. I don't know what we were planning on doing. . . sleeping in the car and showering in the gym?

Then Joe and I moved to Hefei, China for a semester, where he taught English and I was the Head Teacher (I just like to say that because it is probably the only time in our lives that I will have a more prestigious job than he). We returned to what was now BYU-ID in Rexburg in Jan. 2002 and lived in a 2 bedroom apartment until we graduated with our undergraduate degrees in April 2004.

We lived in PA for the next 3 months while we waited for an apartment to open up at BYU. We left for Provo, UT July 2004 and moved into a cinder-block, utility-carpeted teeny-tiny apartment. I wanted to move as soon as I walked in the door; after moving the piano up three flights of stairs, Joe informed me that we would be living there the entire 3 years of law school. I'm so glad we did.

The summer of 2006 we moved to Akron, OH for a summer internship.

After graduation from Law School in April of 2007, we bought a cute little colonial and moved to Cleveland, OH. The economy crashed and for a couple of reasons we decided to move to Dallas, Texas. After living in our home for 2 1/2 years, we short sold it for less than 1/4 of the price we paid for it and moved to a run-down house in Garland, TX.

We lived in Garland for 18 months and then the owners wanted to move back so we moved to another, but nicer, rental home in North Dallas, where we have been now for over 2 years.

Moving is fun! I've been able to meet and make so many fantastic friends. I've discovered what I like and don't like in houses and city vs. country life. We've been led and blessed to live in each place we've been. But. . .

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My point is: I've moved a lot and I'm ready to stay put and grow some roots.

I feel like we are so enormously blessed--I'm not complaining, really! But there is just something about having a spot to call your own, to know you are going to be there for the foreseeable future and are willing to invest in the house and property.

So I'm obsessed. Obsessed with finding the perfect suburb to settle down in. An affordable place closer to Joe's work with a little bit of land (like .5 acres is all I need!) to let the kids run around on. An area with great school ratings. A little slab of concrete in the back with a basketball hoop. A front porch--and a patio, too.

The kids are growing up--Logan is almost 10! I feel like it's time to stop moving and get settled. They are feeling that, too. They all ask how long we are going to be here and where they are going to be going to school. Logan is saving money so he can buy his own room from us in the next house! When we were trying to decide about going to Disneyland we asked the kids what their priorities were--two expensive days in Disneyland or a few thousand dollars to put towards a house. Except for Ammon, who didn't have a vote, they all voiced their opinion that we save for a house. (We went to Disneyland anyway.)

It's going to be hard to find what I want--especially the part about getting closer to Joe's office plus the 1/2 acre and good school district. It's hard to join the country life (if you can call half an acre that) with the city. So if you find something, let me know! We need 5 bedrooms and an office. ;)