Consigned

After a short conversation with my husband about moving, I realized I should change my perspective. I've been counting down the days, (not literally since we have no where to go). Then after a short conversation I realized I'd rather stay in my house at this price and location, then move to a larger fixer upper or to a different school district. Its slightly lame. But unless Spain works out, I've decided to be happy in this house until my oldest goes to middle school. Especially because if I move to Spain, I'll be living in a smaller place with less bathrooms, less yard, less garage, smaller sink, smaller kitchen, smaller oven, etc etc

I could make a whole list of things that my house doesn't have, but most of it I don't care about.

I only wish it had a pantry, another bedroom, and new carpet. But it doesn't, instead it has:

• a guest bathroom
• a game room
• a laundry room
• a large swing set
• a large backyard
• an attic
• a three car garage
• tall shade trees
• six parks within a mile our house
• sidewalks, for so many years I just wanted to live somewhere with sidewalks
• a walk in closet in the master bedroom
• nice countertops
• a good stove and oven
• a good dishwasher
• a huge kitchen sink
• a garage that leads directly to the kitchen
• space to move in our kitchen
• a front porch
• a large back patio
• good schools
• mountain views
• two cars we own out right
• a large pile of bikes
• new door mats (I spent $20 and I'm so happy with the results, its the little things)
• a retirement plan for the homeowners

I had a bishop that use to say, "nothing changes if nothing changes." I always think of that when progress isn't happening fast enough. I realized last night, that I'm annoyed that for over year my health isn't where I want it to be. Slowly but surely something changes and its one less thing to fix. For example I no longer have slipped disk pain (although I still have sciatic nerve pain), I think the truth of the matter is, I want things to change faster they are, so if I lived somewhere else then that would be change. By the way, I know his phrase isn't actually what I'm talking about but I still always think of it. There are things I would like to change to my house but they would make no increase to resale value so I'm not doing them because it costs money. Its making me restless. I should probably do it... but for example if there is a piece of furniture that I want to change out, I don't want to do that if I'm then going to get rid of it in a year. 

So I'm trying to change my perspective so I'm satisfied with what I have.

Although as an ending I'll put the things I'd love to change out, just because admitting them will help me stop obsessing. 

• Less stuff, every time I find boxes of stuff to get rid of, I feel better
• New exterior paint
• some changes in landscaping (I'm highly considering doing this this summer, since I think it could help curb appeal)
• trash all my kitchen chairs and buy two new ones and two benches
• different furniture in the kids bedrooms so we fit better
• a computer chair 
• new desks in our bedroom (I've hated those desks longer than we've lived in the house)
• new carpet
• tile floors in the two bathrooms that don't have tile
• a new vanity in my kid's bathroom 

The things I like about my house far outweigh what I want to change, and whether I move or not, I will still have children that scream at me every day, and I will still have a toddler that tries to physically hurt me when he is angry. So I need to realize that my house won't change any of that. And there are things I absolutely love about my house that I'm often afraid I won't have in my next house.

In closing, #firstworldproblems