Three candles and I'm spent

It seems that my "Big Gift" has come early this year, before the 8th night of Chanukah... and it came in the form of a phone call from a lawyer, who had the pleasure of informing me that on January 6th, I will become a key carrying, slave to the mortgage... and I.can't.wait.

Yes, I'm making the big leap from renter to homeowner, and the process has definitely been an interesting one, starting with a showing in October, when Adam and I walked into an apartment, and the current residents were not only home, but sitting in bed in their pajamas, all 13 of them. Okay, maybe it was only 5 or 6, but there were a lot of them, peeking at us from behind their sheets.

That particular unit was a bit of a wreck, but we fell in love with the gated community in which it was located. It's near enough to Manhattan in Jersey for an easy-ish commute, with tennis courts and pools right on the property, and lots of grass and other dogs at whom Audrey can bark.

One week after the PJ showing, when a cute two bedroom duplex with a fireplace came on the market, in perfect condition, there was no question that it was the right place. It was not as easy as knowing though. Unbeknownst to us, there was another bid on the table when we put ours in, so we had to raise our bid to the asking price, but it is still totally worth what they were asking, and then some. We went through inspections, lawyers on vacation, and the sellers changing the date when they wanted to close, but as of now... we have an official closing date. Fingers crossed, we'll be moved by January 7th.

It doesn't quite feel real yet, and the mad dash to pack may have me reaching for the Valium, but I know it's going to be great, and definitely a Chanukah to remember.