It's Cold in Hawaii

It's true. We (or I should say I because my colleague had enough insight to bring a jacket) shivered at dinner tonight. 70 degrees at night with the wind is cold. 

On a completely separate and exciting note...

Ryan and I are elated. What a whirlwind of a past four days! Definitely one of those pump-the-air-with-your-fist kind of moments!

One month ago today I started the blog post of all blog posts. 

It was overwhelming and I knew that patience and time would help us know what to do... In fact, I didn't check the real estate website between the 15th and the 22nd. I thought I would take a step back... 

But when I saw the bookmark on my browser and checked on the 22nd, two townhomes in the subdivision we like had come on the market in our price range! (And ironically the other more expensive one had been taken off the market...) 

It definitely took me by surprise, and a quick phone call to Rusty helped us get a better idea. 

Come to find out they had both come on the market that very day! So, Rusty made a few calls and we made it happen at noon on the 24th...

Only problem? We were leaving at 12:05 for Farmington to see the Hunger Games in IMAX. So, we literally flew through the house. Luckily we knew what to expect, so it was pretty easy...

On the drive up to Farmington we talked about whether or not we should make an offer...

And we did! (On Saturday, March 24th.)

Did I mention that I was also leaving for Hawaii on the 25th? 

Well, fast forward through a 7-hour flight and sleepless Hawaii night to Monday morning (Hawaii time) when I learn that there is another offer?! 

You're killing me.

And, to top it off, this is just 15 minutes before I'm presenting at my first academic conference. 

So, we waited to hear back. 

A very loooonnnnnggggg few hours later (and after a successful presentation I might add) they countered $6,000 more! 

So, we discussed (via a 4-hour time zone difference) our options and countered up $2,000...

Please oh please! 

I couldn't concentrate. I checked my e-mail constantly. Minutely. 

And then they countered...

Only $400 less! Ugh. 

So, we thought long and hard--via some technological short comings (dying iPhone batteries, etc.) and countered again coming halfway.

Luckily HGTV had taught us a few things and we hoped desperately that this offer would appease the seller. 

Then we waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. 

I waited as I watched my watch (still set at Utah time) tick closer and closer to 'late' hours and then gave up hope of hearing back last night. 

Then woke up at 3:30am--wide awake--and waited and waited. 

Went to the gym at 5:30am and waited some more. 

Helped at my colleague's presentation at 8:30am and waited some more. 

Just as I started giving up hope in the late Hawaiian morning (I texted Rusty mid-morning and asked "Is the fact that we haven't heard back a bad thing?") I got a call from Rusty. 

I rushed out of the very interesting breakout on bipolar disorder (more on that to come) and he said the magic words... "They'll meet you halfway!" 

Cue the pump-the-air-with-a-huge-jump-and-smile-on-your-face-moment! Definitely a moment to remember. And in Hawaii no less. 

So, without further adieu ladies and gentleman... 

Ryan and I are buying a house.

We are so excited, thrilled, ecstatic, and grateful. 

It's a beautiful townhome in a quaint little subdivision and we couldn't be happier. We also can't believe that we've gone from not having thought about it at all to being pre-approved and under contract in exactly one month. Somebody's watching out for us. (:

So, here's to the future, and a May 1st closing. (We won't mention the packing, moving, selling contract, etc. part.) Right now we are perfectly happy and excited that we don't have to worry about being glutton for punishment as we peruse pinterest for decorating ideas. Bring on the paint!

Happy early anniversary to us! Here's to four years, forty more years, and then some. (:

I love you Ryan!