"My Dears, the time has come to move." (name that book)

We've had a secret project going since January. January was a very long time ago, and the project has had some pretty big ups and downs and twists and turnies,  but it's finally time to tell you about it! 

We bought a house.

I know!! 

It's just across the valley, seven miles away. It was a short sale, which is why it took 5.3 months to buy it. Short sales are the very opposite of 'short' when it comes to the time it takes to buy one, but the name actually comes from the fact that the bank is selling the home 'short' of what is owed on it. I just barely figured that out. Genius. 

We closed two days ago and were finally able to go in yesterday evening with our first load of beloved belongings. We ran around and giggled a lot and gave JoJo the grand tour and met our next door neighbor and his 11 year old Lab named Wally and explored and enjoyed. I was fighting tears the entire time. It still seems very surreal to me. I can't believe that it's ours! That this great house with all of its windows and cupboards and carpets and lights and quirks is ours. Ours to love and care for and improve. 

I mean it when I say Improve, too. The house needs some love. That's how we afford a house in this beautiful valley! But the improvements are our speed, we can handle them, and we're stoked to get started. 

I imagine the tears will continue to flow today and tomorrow as we finish moving over there. Because, really? We've lived in our little Heber house for six years. Three or my four babies were born in this house. Caleb and I emotionally grew up in this house! 

Look at this picture.  

This is our one little baby girl Emmy, all packed and ready to move to Heber. This is her one box of toys, which was the only box of toys that we had to box up when we moved here. She was just over one year old!

Here she is at her new little house! We were so incredibly guided to this home, and the blessings we have received from living here will affect us for the rest of our lives. I could never ever list all the things we have learned here, from the people and the experiences. I'm crying again!

But it's time to go. My little family isn't little any more, although it is still very young. We are ready for new things and new experiences and new adventures. We've been packing and cleaning and stressing and rejoicing for a while now, and there's a whole lot more of that to come! More pictures, too!

And don't worry. We're labeling our boxes very clearly.