FINDING HOME

I've been in search of "home" for years now. I've moved from the Midwest to both the East and West Coasts (and back again) in search of it.

I thought that moving back to Michigan would help me find that elusive sense of home, but, instead, I came to realize that I no longer belong in Michigan. I will always have a soft spot for the Great Lakes and loved being near my family, but there is just no place in my heart for winter. None! So, after fighting it for a number of years, I now accept that I'm a California girl always and forever.

We bought a house in Michigan (which is now up for sale - anyone looking for a Northern Michigan home???), but it was quickly apparent that we wouldn't be staying there long-term. So apparent, in fact, that we didn't really even unpack or make that house seem like home in the slightest. You know how you don't decorate and settle in at a hotel when you're on vacation? Yeah, that was sort of our feeling in that house.

And now we're in a rental - a duplex on the side of an enormous hill, right next to the highway - which is also, obviously, not home. We recently sold our condo in Orange County and started searching for houses here. We found a place pretty quickly that we really loved - a 1930 Tudor with original wood floors, doors, and lighting (so beautiful). We put in an offer and the sellers accepted. There's just one problem - it's a short-sale and the bank has been stalling for months now.

After losing hope on that, we've put in offers on a couple of other places - a nice, newly remodeled home in a slightly sketchy neighborhood...which we then decided was a little too sketchy to raise a family in. And then a cookie-cutter home in a family-friendly subdivision...which we then decided was just too cookie-cutter for us.

But now we've found it - a gorgeous old home in a gorgeous old neighborhood (we love older homes). The sellers recently passed away after living there for 45 years and we both agree that it's the kind of place we can see ourselves in for the next 45 years or so. Our offer is in...and now we wait.

I'll keep you posted. Wish us luck! I will literally weep and wail if we don't get this one.