New Beginnings

 Me and my niece throwing leaves and prancing around in Boston last autumn.

In the past month, two of Mr. W and my nieces started high school, another started junior high, and the oldest started college. That last one was a biggie for my entire family. She is the niece whose college tour I tagged along on last fall and her final two choices for the next four years were down to Georgetown and University of San Diego.

My entire family was rooting for USD because we wanted her close. Much to our surprise she chose to stay in California.

She is my first niece and the only one whose birth I witnessed. I think until the day I die, that moment—watching her enter this world—will be one of the most miraculous things I'll ever see. I remember hearing her first wail, watching the first waves of her little clenched fists as they shook furiously at the doctor for moving her from her comfy, warm space into a cold, bright delivery room.

New beginnings can be hard.

Just like her birth, it's been such a privilege watching her take this big step and leave her familiar nest. On some level, I think she's wailing and waving those fists again. But her next eighteen years are sure to be even more incredible than the first, and I cannot wait to see how they unfold.

In the midst of the whirlwinds of niece activity, Mr. W and I also have been pursuing a new beginning.

You might remember how I wrote about the real estate we checked out last month in Santa Ynez. Well, we put an offer on the little mid-century place I wrote about. And it was accepted.

We celebrated and started combing remodeling magazines for kitchen and bathroom ideas. And then the rollercoaster left the depot.

We rode up and down the purchasing peaks and valleys until finally Mr. W texted me and told me the mortgage broker delivered the news that we didn't get the loan. We were both pretty heartbroken, so I did the only natural thing I could think of to cope. I posted the news on Facebook.

Then Mr. W came home from work and informed me that after his text was sent, the mortgage broker called back and said the underwriters wanted to look at one more thing. We were that close. They shuffled some paperwork and recrunched the numbers and the next morning, we had our loan.

This weekend, we had already planned to visit Santa Ynez with my family to celebrate my dad's 70th birthday. It was like fate that my parents got to go with us on the final walk-through of the house. The whole family was delighted by the potential of our new digs.

We are so excited about our new beginning.

 

The view is the absolute best. We cannot wait to sit and drink wine in the backyard, gazing out over the hills. 

 

 The living room is also at the top of my list with its bright, cheery ambiance and giant picture windows.

 The hutch in the kitchen reminds me of one my mom has in her dining room.

 And the retro pink tiles with seahorses won me over the moment I saw them. 

Don't worry, we plan to do significant remodeling in the future. Stay tuned for lots and lots of before and after pics!