HOME-MAKING

Above: Biscuit cinnamon rolls from a recent Weekend Breakfast.

It's been almost exactly six months since I sold my house in Oklahoma City – a house that, and I quote myself, felt like "a giant adult responsibility anchor" by the time I got rid of it. (Read the whole saga starting here.) And now, a mere six months later, how do I feel? Guys, I'm more than ready to buy again.

What can I say? The heart wants what the heart wants.

And my heart longs to be a homeowner again. I have officially grown tired of investing time and money in renting. I feel stifled by my inability to paint, tile, rip out, re-finish. I long to landscape a yard with a perennial timeframe in mind, and to benefit from the diligent composting I've been doing for the last year (YOU'RE WELCOME, future duplex tenants). But most importantly – I want to make a home with Micah, to build a life with him. And for us, that means a house of our own.

So, for about the last month or so, I've been heart-deep in real estate. Perusing multiple sites a day to check for new listings, and to get a feel for how much house our budget can buy. I fall in love a few times a week: sometimes with a tiny, historic bungalow in the downtown area, or a rustic cottage on an acre outside the city. (I have seriously detailed life-fantasies for each type of property.) We've taken up Sunday drives to visit these properties, and check out new-to-us neighborhoods - Google Street View can only show you so much. And usually the historic bungalow is next to a crack den, and the cottage is a little too outside the city.

But. I know it's a process, and I'm enjoying this part of it. Like dating, and knowing that This One could be The One. I know our house is out there. And when we finally find The One, we will be more than ready to put a ring on it, and start building our life in it. Start making our home.