Starting to feel more like home

The first year here, I hated it. I think it was in anticipation of Scott leaving for Iraq, and all the massive changes that we went through those first months (newlyweds, moving, intro to the Marine Corps life, working from home, learning to drive a stick shift if I want to go out...). I remember our only true big fight out here, which ended with me yelling "I want to go home" and running up to our room for the rest of the night.

We have come a long way since then. And now this really does feel like home, and I can't imagine moving anytime soon. Of course, it all depends where our jobs take us, but as long as I can stand this job I have the luxury of moving anywhere and keeping it. That is a convenient things as Scott continues his soul searching for his true calling.

Kara asked me the other day how the job planning was going, and that she didn't want us to move, since they are trying to get back here in about 2 years. I said "We just got our backyard done, we're not going anywhere anytime soon!" And I truly believe it, because we are enjoying our house so much more now that the yard is not a disaster.

Just last summer, I thought of this house as a place to live and nothing more. I was not attached to it, and I didn't even like it. I was getting tired of it - and we actually talked about renting it out and moving into another house that we liked better. But now that the yard is done, we have eaten almost every dinner outside. And Scott comes home most of the time to me sitting outside reading or playing with the furry kids. I think Chewy loves it out there, and Bear is coming around. I think it might have changed the acoustics because he barks a lot more when he hears people walking behind the house. He barks in the wrong direction though - maybe the sound is bouncing off the walls in a different way. And he can't dig holes anymore! That is the best part.

So, last time I went home, everyone thought that we should do our yard ourselves. We considered that for about a week - and I am so glad that we didn't go that route. We got one company to come and do the pavers, and another to put in the turf. The entire job took about a week (3 days for the pavers, 2 days for the turf) - with lots of jackhammering to remove the old concrete, and sawing to put the pavers in. We kept the sprinkler system live so that we can water down our fake grass, and they put in a new drain in the pavers and moved the sprinkler valves to the front. Overall, I think they did a great job and this project would have taken us a year to finish - if we ever actually finished.

So as we slowly get the house fixed up, I am starting to feel like this is home. I am getting more used to the area, I can drive with confidence, and I love being able to eat dinner outside all year long. What more can someone ask for? Well, maybe for the Weinsafts to come back! Here are picks of the yard, and of K&K's latest visit.