Closing Day!

Well, after years of waiting, our much anticipated closing date has finally arrived!  Two years ago this month I made a trip to Bismarck and purchased a lot.  Two months later we switched our lot, (the original contours map was inaccurate and we had to switch lots to keep our Bismarck Temple view) and then after another two weeks, we switched it again. (We originally had purchased two lots in Phase IV of our subdivision.  Shortly after we asked for the phase V map so that we could see what would be happening at the end of our street.  There, in Phase V, was our dream lot.  It was the same size as our two lots put together, it was flat, and every one of our windows on the back of the house would have a perfect view of the Bismarck Temple.  The neighbors nick-named it the "I love to see the temple" lot.)

Our new lot was perfect, but with one downfall.  Phase IV construction was already underway, but we would have to wait to build in Phase V.  And wait we did.  First we were told we could start in July.  Then it got bumped back to October. Then April.  As April came and went, we were wondering if we would ever begin construction.  However, our builder promised us that regardless of our late start date, we would have all of the crews and resources necessary to be into the house by Christmas--my one non-negotiable stipulation.  I wasn't sure how he could pull it off, but as long as we could be in by Christmas, I could be patient a little longer.  Finally, at the end of June, we had our official ground-breaking ceremony.  

Ground breaking was super exciting; however, shortly after, the headaches began.  With two people as particular as Nicholas and I, the house-building process became a full-time babysitting job.  We had to be at the house at least once a day, and sometimes two or three times.  The crews had to be constantly monitored, corrected, and encouraged.  The plan was our own custom drawing, and it had to be perfect. With time; however, we had to learn and accept the fact that despite all your best efforts, perfect is very relative.

Still, as time went on, we were generally very happy with the way the house was going up.  It would be such an upgrade from our home in residency, and filled with custom elements that would make our life in it just the way we had envisioned.  All was shaping up as best it could--until, that is, the news came that our home would not make its early December closing date.  The news came as a slap in the face.  People had told us all along that it would never happen, but we had contradicted them and defended our builder.  After all, he had promised, and we were certain that knowing how important it was to us, he would somehow make good on the promise.

Much to our dismay, his making good on the promise went right down the drain.  It was a low point in our relationship with our builder.  Nick was angry; I was devastated.  As I said in a previous post, I had bought all new bedroom sets for the kids, down to the curtains and basket covers.  It had taken months of planning and meeting with interior designers to figure out everything we needed, and all of it was scheduled to be delivered to our new home the week before Christmas.  The upstairs of the house had been off limits to the kids since early fall when dry wall went in, and our plan was to have their rooms all ready for a grand bedroom reveal on none other than Christmas morning.  I had played it all out in my head a hundred times.  It was the perfect Christmas present, and the perfect plan.

Perfect, until it wasn't.  The delay in our closing threw several wrenches in our plan.  First, it left us with two bedrooms worth of furniture being white glove delivered to the garage of our rental house.  Second, it left us with no Christmas presents for the kids.  Third, it left us with a week of vacation to get moved in which we wouldn't be getting moved.  Fourth, it landed closing right in the middle of freezing January, and only days after our annual Disney cruise was planned to end.  Nick had no vacation time that week, (unlike the week in December he had already taken off) and it would land closing day right during the time when the kids and I were digging into the second half of our school year.  It was a nightmare, but nightmare or not, it was our new reality.

Consequently, we took a vacation during our week off in December, told the kids they were getting Christmas in January, stored the furniture in our garage, and waited til the end of January for things to finally get completed.  We didn't think our builder was even going to pull it off when he did, but after another week delay in closing, we finally sealed the deal and became home owners once again this afternoon.  I swear that building this house has taken ten years off of my life, but whatever stresses and headaches it has entailed, it is finally done.  Hallelujah, it is finished!!

 P.S.  Here is a picture of what the kids look like while I am writing this post.  This is where they will be sleeping for a few days until their bedrooms are all set up.

Housing Progress 12: The Library

For me, the library was the most anticipated room of our house! The cabinet maker saved it for very last and I could hardly wait to get home from our cruise and see how it looked!  All of our woodwork is beautiful, but the library was to be a special project.  It was a room I had envisioned for years, and I worked hand in hand with the owner of the cabinetry company to make my dream into a reality.  We met and talked many times, and both of us drafted and ran calculations until we had successfully sketched out each and every inch of the room.  From the rope accents in the crown molding, to the ribbed pillars and archways, this room, finished in a custom stained and glazed mahogany, is the crown jewel of the house.   I tell people it is my compensation for making it through medical school, and when I get compensated, I get compensated!

Here are a few pics.

Standing in the entryway looking into the library.

The fireplace and wood mantle. 

 (I have a painting of the Founding Fathers signing the Constitution that will hang in the space above the fireplace.  The framing of the wood was measured to fit the picture perfectly!)

And looking out of the library into the entryway and formal dining room.  When our actual front door gets put on, they'll case it the same as the archways and tie the whole entryway all together.

Post Cruise Fun

Although we got to see everyone briefly before the cruise, it was after the cruise that we got to really visit with family and that the kids got to really enjoy time with their cousins.  With a new baby at their house, our days in Houston were mostly just spent hanging out at Greg and Michelle's.

We did venture out to the Galleria Mall for a little shopping though, and stopped in to the Rainforest Cafe for Kenzie's birthday celebration.

We also took a tour of the nearby BlueBell Ice Cream Factory (where none of us took any pictures) and picked up lunch at Greg and Michelle's favorite restaurant--Chick-Fil-A.

After a few days in Houston, we cleared out of Greg's house and drove over to a new destination for all of us: San Antonio.  Our first stop, the Alamo.

Then it was over to the famous RiverWalk for a little stroll and an early dinner.

The next day we got in the car and began the long two-day drive home.  We couldn't pass through Oklahoma City without another stop though.  This time through we got to see both Jason and Robin's family and Uncle Kyle.  We caught dinner with them too, played at the park, and then went back to Kyle's house for games and ice cream sundaes.

The kids were on a roller coaster of highs and lows--highs getting to play with all of their cousins, and lows having to tell them all good-bye after only a few short days.  Such is life when your family is spread across the entire country!

Annual Disney Cruise Adventure!