Hello again! I realize that while I love to write and am a little obsessive about my “stats” I don’t really like to share with you all the rough times. More over, I have great appreciation when a fellow blogger is brave and shares a rough time or challenging experience or decision with their readers. In a world of social media in which we compete with our hundreds of “friends” for the prize of happiest individual who has the most friends and can share the most photos portraying their infinitely stellar gatherings, travels and most perfect life events. It gives me the thought of 
a Will Farrell skit where he’s dressed as Buddy the Elf and he’s having a smiling contest with some fellow unbelievably and nauseatingly happy individual. While I like to show off my fair share of good times on the Facebook, I have some folks in my feed who leave me, often, thinking “there’s no WAY you’re that happy ALL THE TIME!” Which I know is the truth because while they’re photo stream portrays a euphorically happy individual, the status updates that trickle throughout those “good times” sound far from happy. Between complaints and angry rampages, it begs the question of why we are willing to put words out there proving we are unhappy and frustrated but aren’t willing to do the same with images. Or why are we so eager to prove we’re “happy” with endless photos of our “blissful” lives? With this detailed contemplation, I realize that I’m, in my own right, guilty of this need to portray happiness and success. In real life, I’m a cynical realist with chronic depression and I struggle every day to show my happy face to a world I feel very judged by. I have a really hard time sharing that side of me, mostly because I don’t really like her that much and I’m convinced others won’t either. So I keep her at bay and choose to not post at all rather than chance writing a load of crabby narratives of my misgivings and disappointments.
Contrary to how this post has started out, I am here to share some good news. Just three short weeks before we anticipate the arrival of Baby G, we’ve found out that we are fully approved for our home loan and our closing on the new abode is scheduled for next week! Very relieving to know we didn’t take the photos off the wall and pack up that bookshelf for no good reason. So the hubs has gone into full swing pack and organize mode while I, at eight months pregnant, guiltily sit on the couch and read up on the afterbirth of Baby G and stress about how we’re going to survive these two astronomical life events at once. In between anxiety attacks though, it is hard not to get excited about all the things we’ve wanted once we finally owned our own home. There’s the egg chickens (whom all have had names far longer than Baby G was even an imagination), and the strawberry patch of my childhood that I’ve longed to recreate, and the workshop for Hubs and craft room for me. The vegetable garden that we’ll have years to sow and till, and the fruit trees and bushes. Our choice of decorating and boy oh boy do Pinterest and I have some plans!
Some perks of the house that already exist? Well, there’s a two stall barn (with a floor that “needs work”) that will be great for housing the chicken coop. The kitchen is open with lots of space and light and a wood stove right in the middle of the first floor. A two car garage, which Hubs has reminded me of many times now about how I won’t have to go out into the frigid winter elements to get in my car. This is especially appealing when thinking of having an infant to load in as well. The land is wooded and while it needs a bit of a cleaning, there’s some great space for gardens and agricultural landscaping. It is also within walking distance of many other properties with well maintained recreational trails that we will be able to utilize.
While there are also many things that will require time and money to customize to our liking and needs, the very best perk is that it’s all ours! So here’s to a week of frenzied preparations for moving and signing on the dotted line!
-Ali G
