On the move...

As some of you may already know – today was moving day for us!  Ivan & I made a somewhat impulsive, yet well researched decision to move this year…and it ended up happening faster than expected.  In December we started thinking about finishing the basement to add a guestspace since Rya decided the double bed we had intended for guests is actually hers.  By December we realized it would probably cost more to finish the basement than a new downpayment so we told ourselves we would ‘just look’ this year and maybe move next year.  By February I convinced Ivan that interest rates are too good to pass up so when we found a house we loved in March, we went for it.  We quickly organized and staged our house and must’ve done a good job since it sold on the first day on the market (which Ivan was very relieved about since he had to coordinate a carpet cleaning appointment with 3 showings and 2 babies!).  Our adrenalyn helped us to pack up within our 30 day move and today it finally became real.  Ivan & I loaded & unloaded a truck with all the boxes we could squeeze in and are getting some friends to help with the heavy stuff tomorrow…plus of course babysitters to help the process go smoother. 

I definitely have some mixed feelings about our move since our house has been so special to us.  I literally had my babies in this house (which I did not advertise on MLS), and Ivan and I transformed from a couple into parents here.  This house was brand new so we’ve enjoyed the luxury of low maintenance and more space than we need.  Don’t get me wrong – I love my walk-in closet and soaker tub…but we re-evaluated our wishlist and realized that those have fallen lower on our priority list.  Our new area also means we don’t yet have a school and although we could wait a couple more years, it isn’t looking promising.  Our current neighborhood is quiet, but that’s also because it’s not exactly near anything.  The neighborhood we’re moving to is called ‘Sundance’, which reminds us a bit more of ‘home’ in Toronto.  Our house is a 15 minute walk to everything from the train station to shopping to a YMCA.  It’s one of Calgary’s lake communities so we can take the kids for a dip and even canoeing or paddleboating in the summer!  And it has all 3 levels of schools so our girls won’t have to wake up early for long bus rides.  Since it’s a more established community, the house we bought is older and a bit smaller – but we’re actually happy about that since it seems to have more practical space than we have now.  The basement is finished with a guestroom and even has a tiny little playroom that will be a perfect hideout for the kiddies.  It’s a split-level style of house, which I’ve always really wanted for the cozy factor.  Ivan’s going to miss his garden, but the new yard has a large deck we love and the the house has a wood burning fireplace, which he’s always wanted.  All in all, the few things we’ll miss are small compared to the many things we love about our new home and neighborhood. 

So off I go to bed for the last time in Copperfield…and fingers crossed that Rya adjusts to her new home as quickly as we do.