Why are we moving????

 Why are we moving to Abingdon?

When my grandmother was so sick and dying after living alone for so long, we traveled back and forth a lot.  We wanted to help more than we could.  Pete's dad had died in February of that year (2018), and Grandmother fell and broke her arm while Andrew was going through all of his strenuous and exhausting testing at Duke for his brain surgery.  Pete's mom starting living with us full-time soon after his dad died.  We were thankful for all of the family who helped - those local and those who traveled a great distance.  

We realized we wanted to make our way back to family and help more, but our boys needed us still.

Then Peter moved to Colorado and got married, Andrew moved to an apartment, and Will got married and moved to Wilkesboro!  Andrew promised he would come and see me a lot if I moved (yes, Andrew, you promised!), so we started thinking about moving.  Selling our house.  We started working on house projects we had put off for years.  

Then I broke my leg!  So everything came to a standstill.  Then we started working on projects again and wondering if the time to sell was now.

It was.  It was so hard to list our house, but once we got finished cleaning it out, downsizing our stuff, getting rid of stuff I should have donated or tossed years before, I felt so free!  I felt so free of stuff and a big house to take care of with all of the projects that come with a big house!  

Years ago, we had sold our new house that we built in Vilas right before the market crashed around 2006 or 2007.  We literally sold our last home to the first person who looked at it for asking price and felt good about the whole deal.  We had listed it ourselves on Facebook and Zillow.  I had realtors contacting me left and right telling me we'd listed it too low.  We knew there were some great things about the house - a brand new HVAC system, new wood floors, a great white kitchen with a big island, a great lot, a great location, a newer roof, new front stairs, new interior stairs, updated bathrooms, a huge unfinished basement that could be used to work on cars and dump trucks, etc.  But we could see so many things someone may want to do, so we wanted to list at a good price to afford them room to do that!  The week after we sold our house, interest rates began a steady climb; and it would have been out of reach for so many.  We were so happy and thankful that our buyers had no issues, and the sale went through two months later!  Since before the closing in June, we have been searching Bristol VA and TN and Abingdon and Damascus for our new home.

There was the historic white house on Valley Street that was "only" $225,000 and needed lots of work.  The small rooms and low ceilings were a concern for Pete.  But I loved the character!  Then there was another right off Main Street that had a tarp over the back.  The back bathroom had literally rotted and fallen into the basement.  They would not accept our offer, so we had to back away knowing it would take more money than it would be worth to bring it back!  A friend showed us a few houses in Bristol that were coming on the market.  While I loved them all, Pete was concerned about the size of the houses and the amount of work.  There was one near my brother that I fell in love with and tried to change his mind for weeks.  And another was near my old church and had the cutest window seat and greatest blue house color.  We looked at a cute house in Bristol, VA, that had the nicest park-like lot.  But the kitchen was so small with nowhere to expand, and there was no front porch.  It was probably the cutest house though!  Then we looked at a Cape Cod with lots and lots of steps.  It needed a kitchen update but was otherwise a great house.  Many others thought so too, and the bidding began!  We had to let it go at a high price, knowing we would not be able to fix things that we could not see if we went higher!

We had already looked at the Maringo house and loved it but were both concerned about the price to "fix" it!  The upstairs bath is a tiny half bath.  The bottom floor bath just needs updating.  It needs a kitchen and some other things.  While we were considering it, the price dropped on it again - it had before which is why we looked at it!  We wanted to wait for some estimates to come in but decided to go ahead and make an offer and not wait.  It had been sitting there for a few months, but we did not know if someone else was interested.  So we offered a price we thought we could work with, and they accepted.  

I have not mentioned the houses that we looked at that Pete assured me he could make into something I love.  I just simply could not see it in some houses.  So I won't mention them!  Some were cute, but they did not feel like home to me.

We were happy to find one we both love.  I think he started looking at it seriously when I pointed out that he could walk to Dollar Tree to look for candy!

The yard is so pretty.  It's surrounded by a farm and yet the road in front runs parallel to the interstate exit ramp for a bit.  The noise doesn't bother me.  The farm adds character.  And I know my dear husband can add a bathroom or two.  So we were able to get it!

Sam is all for moving.  That is a common question.  He loves being around family and thrives around them.  We think this move will be a very good thing for him.

Thanks for reading again!  More coming soon!

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11