Not Moving and a Dose of Patience

I really put myself through the ringer over the last couple of weeks. Adam and I had a goal of trying to find a new place to live back over in Conway since we spend so much of our time over there for church, the comic book store, Katie & Patrick's, Publix, the farmers market, Jo-Ann's, and so on and so forth. But you know what we discovered? It is nearly impossible to find a place over there that doesn't fall short of the place where we live now.

We went back and forth so many times. We viewed properties. We debated, questioned and worried. And then we decided to stay put.

It seems like you can either find a wonderful apartment with lots of space in each room and a quiet neighborhood or you can find something too expensive that doesn't allow pets. I could not get a single place to add together everything we need.

I kept wanting different places to work out for us, but when I took the time to sit quietly and be honest with myself, I realized they didn't.

The idea of being back in our old neighborhood and with a more convenient drive to all of the places we frequent is very alluring. But I don't want to live somewhere I'm not excited about just to get those things, and I think it just took me some time, some tries and fails, to realize that.

I've learned that maybe if we just stay put where we're already pretty content, that going to buy a house will come along soon enough. Patience.

On the bright side, we're renovating ... ish. You know, as much as you can do in a condo you don't own.

I had decided that, whether we decided to move or not, I'd go through the house and purge, clean and reorganize. I've already got a stack of books and an ancient TV heading to Goodwill. And I have a whole list of projects after that. By the time my "spring" cleaning is done, it'll be a brand new apartment. (That includes trying to make some new curtains for the bay window at some point!)

By the way, I don't think I ever do spring cleaning in the actual spring. Usually, I get the urge to purge (that sounds wrong, but it rhymed, so I went with it) in the fall and I think that's because it's finally not blazing hot and I don't mind moving around the house a little.

The only reason I'm doing it now, during the hottest part of the hottest summer in a while, is that the bug has bitten me and I have it on my brain. I have found that if you ever get the motivation to do something, it's best to go with it because, if you wait until later, you'll often find you've lost steam. (On the other hand, sometimes you have to create your own motivation when it doesn't come naturally. And then once you get going, you find that your motivation is back. Funny how that works.)

So on that note, I'm taking a personal day this Friday so I can get some of these things under way.

I also need the time to get a few additional things done. Including my half of a barter agreement. Hehe.

I owe my friend Andee one chocolate babka in trade for an apron she's making me. She's likely to finish my apron this weekend and my plan is to make her babka this Sunday, so the trade will actually be well timed pretty. So I have to run down to Whole Foods on Friday for the good chocolate.

Anyway, I just feel like all around, good things are happening. We may not be moving, but I feel a fresh start coming on anyway. And I have a fun new hobby to enjoy on top of cooking. I still may not have my dream job, but what did I say I'm learning? 

Oh right ... patience!