The view is better than we dreamed.

The Walk to Paradise Garden
Originally uploaded by elisabethie.

Walking into our new house was like walking over the threshold the night of our wedding.

It was a moment that was wrought with excitement, yet proved somewhat uneventful. We just stood there, looking around at the fake brick and the aqua rugs like we were in the icon section of the Met.

And within the hour, the house will filled with the people that we came here for, all of whom were excited and bustling -- making us feel more excited than we ever imagined. And sitting there, among the 6 people, I felt completely and utterly at home. Like this is it. This IS the clearing. We made it.

Thank you.

JB-For helping me pack twice, and making me pack longer than I would have. For being with me Thursday morning and not judging me, for listening to my laundry and for being so incredibly positive when you saw the house. For loving the neighborhood. For noticing the "cool" people. For your imaginings of the future. For accolades on the yard...for being "in this with us" -- completely and entirely.

AG-For your incredible positivity. For being as cool as you are. For liking the fireplace and the brick and for basically saying you like the house the way it us. For your glowing positivity on all the aspects we thought we desperately needed to change. And for the comment "This is the next Bella Vista". You have no idea of what that means to me.

CB-For skipping your commitment on Thursday night to just hang out with us and be there with us. For your confident comments and your support. For understanding the complications of everything with this move. For listening as I went on and on about how great everything was and for getting into the walks and the neighborhood.

SC-For coming over as soon as you could and talking to MG about the details of the house and how to work things out. For making me know that you truly are a dear old friend, and for being there during our first moments, even though you're not into traditional house settings.

CD-For your GLOW which was spreading everywhere. For LOVING everything in the house. For saying that it was better than you imagined. For every glowing remark you made -- from the CVS to the walls to the people to the neighborhood to the pizza corner, you were a beacon of positivity and you simply loved everything.

WS-You came at a moment's notice and are so genuinely happy that we're in the same neighborhood -- a place you love as much as we do. You were smiling the whole time, making us feel like you've been waiting for us -- despite everything that's happened.

AT: For listening as I told you the entire story, beginning to end today. For selflessly taking care of Emmett all day...and all night, knowing that you'd be missing out on something. For loving us and encouraging us and supporting us through this whole thing. You are amazing.

Thursday morning, before settlement, I was petrified of this whole process. And JB and AT were there to attest. All morning, I was frazzled and shakey, doing strange things and unable to relax. I have never bought a house before, and until the very last minute, I was acting totally weird.

Our settlement was so incredibly warm -- to the point that the owner's son was moved to tears. I adore the family that lived in that house. The memories they shared were soaked with beauty.

God has blessed us beyond relief.

I can't believe we own a house.