3123

3123 was our house number in Wichita.  We always called our Longmont house, Pratt, as it was on Pratt St. and the Wichita house in my head is always the address.  Technically both houses are still ours, but Pratt is rented and 3123 ready to sell, baby, sell!

The last week has been nothing short of a whirlwind so I'll apologize upfront if I repeat myself.  Because of benefits and paid vacation at Ryan's job, we made the insane choice to finish the house and get moved so he could start today, November 1st.  To make that happen we had to.........

-cut, paint, and install baseboards for most of the top two levels of our house

-paint and regrout the tile in our masterbath

-finish our door trim package on 3 doors

-order and install a new range and microwave

-have a garage sale 

-winterize lawn and house

-finish lots of very tedious finish carpentry on our stairs

-finish several little tasks in the newly remodeled hall bath

-pack all our personal belongings and Ben's life and crib

-say goodbye to all our friends and neighbors

-leave the house spotless and staged and ready to sell

Jess Istas (and Jason) planned a well-timed brunch at Newport Grill

Crinkle Nosin'

 

For those who knew the before,  MB after

Cuddling with Grandpa doing Donald Duck

locked and loading with the sign in the yard

Most of that list was accomplished in the last 4 days!  I've posted about Nana Pat helping paint and Grandpa Jim made two trips to help.  MeeMee also drove out to drive her SUV back to CO for us filled with most of Ben's world.  She also watched Ben so I could get the house clean (twice) and ready for pictures and then to leave "show ready."  We are forever grateful for everyone's help and hard hard work!

It was an incredibly trying time for me, and Ryan and I certainly yelled more than we ever have.  I was never upset with him, just with the situation and our different priorities.  I can only compare the stress level to waiting for Ben, but that was out of our hands and filled with hopeful anticipation.  This week was filled with back-breaking work, not enough sleep, and a tight deadline all within our control and completely up to us to accomplish.  As I knew we would, we did it!!

3123 taught us A LOT!! We learned a lot in terms of little changes that make a big aesthetic difference, and big changes that even we can handle with ease.  We learned about what we will and won't pay someone to do in the future. I learned that just like if you give a mouse a cookie....., when you give a man a power tool..... Over the last year in particular, we learned how much time a kiddo can take away from house project progress and I hope we remember that in the search for our next house.

Ben and I delayed our drive to Colorado to yesterday so I could make the drive on a good night's sleep and do a final clean after the messy boys were gone.  The drive seemed the quickest ever and Ben couldn't have been better.  He talked and slept and talked and slept and with a couple stops for diaper changes and lunch, we were "home" in no time.  There had to be a higher power at work in our welcome home:).  As you come west on 1-70, the mountains come in and out of view as the road curves back and forth.  On this day there was not a cloud in the sky, not an once of pollution, and a perfect 70 degrees where the sun on your cheeks was wanted but never hot.  I cried.  I cried and cried each time the purple mountains majesty came into view.  I had dreamt of this day for most of the last three years and it felt better than I ever imagined.  To cry tears of joy with the mountains ahead instead of tears of sadness with peaks in the rear-view was incredible.

So, we are settling in at Nana Pat and Grandpa Jim's house and hoping 3123 sells quickly.  We will begin the search for our new home surrounded by a warm welcome from our friends and family.  We have already had to remind ourselves and lots of our friends that we are here for good (we hope) and there is not the usual need to see and do everything in a week.

We also arrived in Denver to news that there was a tiger on the loose and may have spotted him last night!!!.....................................