A week from tomorrow, Nathaniel and I will celebrate 6 months of wedded bliss. It was also this time last year that Nathaniel traveled with me to North Carolina from our Boston homes to spend Emory's 3rd birthday with the family and asked my father's blessing for us to get married. My, how times change!
Certainly, the past year has been a radical amount of change - we experienced all of the top 5 stressors on psychological stress tests within that time period. We've moved from Boston to North Carolina, gotten married, lost a very close family member, planned a wedding, lived with parents, found a new apartment, took a pay cut, found new jobs, fought the usual first year fights, dealt with an unforeseen pregnancy, made progress on a dissertation, reevaluated another PhD program, traveled across the country (several times), navigated new neighborhoods, felt isolated from our professional peers, struggled to fit in with our old peers, been desperate to connect with those like us, wanted to escape, felt compelled to stay, and struggled with our life and life choices in general (and specific). We are emerging from the protective shelter of Nathaniel's extended student existence to the harsh realities of devastated workplace that is not able to offer much at this point.
I can say without hesitation, that there has also been significant joy as well. Our wedding day was one of the most remarkable days of my life. Even without linen napkins and other things that frustrated me, the day I got to marry Nathaniel and wear a "magical" dress and have music created by people I love and gather those I treasure most to enjoy a weekend, our wedding will always be a seemingly perfect memory, if not completely the wedding we planned. Also, I have experienced the birth of a beautiful niece, Elizabeth, who is growing into one of the sweetest girls in the world. I got to dance with my daddy. I got to feel the love of my mother as I cried over surprisingly positive pregnancy tests. I've had several house guests who make me smile from my soul outward. I received news that a beloved sister in law is pregnant alongside me.
It has been a time of drastic extremes. Moments of true, unadulterated happy punctuating a flowing river of stress and, at times, anxiety.
I feel like there is a parting of the clouds right now, though. I am cautious to get too excited, lest the light I see above our heads is not the sun peaking through and simply a new lightening bolt headed straight for us. But, odds are looking stacked our way.
On Monday, Nathaniel and I decided to look at what it would take for us to return to Boston or move to NYC. The sad truth we discovered is that, especially with a baby on the way, there is no way we could be prepared to move to a location like that, let alone eventually hope to get ahead financially if we moved. This sad realization led Nathaniel to a conclusion: we need an investment. Now.
On Tuesday, Nathaniel approached me with the idea that, instead of a 2 year baseline plan that would have us stay in North Carolina and save money, we change the plan to 5 years and invest in something more extensive... something like real estate.
I contacted my mother and explained to her what sort of financial restrictions and hopes we have, what we want specifically and in general. SuperRealtor adjusted her cape and began the pursuit. She explained our financing options, what would be required of us, and sent possible houses for us to look at.
Fast forward to the following Friday: we put a bid in on a house.
After debating how we would balance our aesthetic with a practical investment, we found a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath townhouse. It has over 1600 square feet. Piccolino no longer has to nap on our bed, as he/she will not have daddy's piano in his/her room. Nathaniel and I have a DUAL vanity. Our kitchen is BEAUTIFUL and includes all appliances INCLUDING a wine chiller. Also, SuperRealtor negotiated for the very large, wall-mounted flat screen TV that hangs above the fireplace. The carpets are beautiful, cabinets new, storage ample, and walls neutral. I don't even feel like we need to paint before moving in, except for our Master Bedroom - and only because neither Nathaniel nor I like blue for a wall color - not because it is not beautiful.
In addition to having a larger, more appropriate place to call home as we bring our baby to his or her first domicile, there is also a very real, very viable, very hopeful possibility regarding Nathaniel's job prospects. I will not say too much about it, as he is apprehensive and a little gun-shy about entering the workforce. However, I will say that in this particular situation, many many professional and academic stars have aligned, offering us the greatest hope for follow through with getting Nathaniel the professional beginning we've been hoping for!
As I said before, it appears as though the clouds are parting a bit and will shed a bit more consistent light on us. We're saving, working, and planning. Now, it appears we'll be able to use our time here to make money on an investment, keep Nathaniel's CV alive, and give me the opportunity to further develop mine.
We are willing to work to achieve all our goals. It's just nice to know that the hard work and difficult decisions may actually bring about a positive outcome for us!
Sadly, I have not taken any pictures of our new home. I am attaching the link to the realtor.com page for it. Feel free to look at the pictures on there - they do NOT lie... it is BEAUTIFUL!
Can't wait to cook you all a meal in our new home once we're all settled!
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3952-Wendy-Lane_Raleigh_NC_27606_M59372-47081
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