New Places

I have neglected my poor blog!  Things have just been moving along so quickly the past few months but now it has slowed down a bit.  In May, we were looking for a new place to live.  We wanted to be closer to base and hopefully find a quieter spot.  However, the city next to base also has a university so looking at renting apartments was frustrating.  Fees to apply for the apartment, steep deposits, sometimes first and last months' rent, large non-refundable pet deposits, additional pet rent added each month, the rent prices were high...  We talked to some other soldiers and they suggested looking into buying.  Well, we had no debt and good credit, so we found a good realtor and started looking at different places.  Some places we loved and some places made me think we should just start looking at apartments again.  However, one of them I could really see us living there.  It was terrifying.
But, we decided to go ahead and buy it.  I'm still pretty scared.  What if this happens, what if that breaks, what if a sharknado comes through... I have anxiety disorder so there is a constant little chirp in my head of worries and stresses.  I'm mostly concerned about when John next gets deployed if I can really take care of the place on my own.  But for now, we are slowly (s..l..o..w..l..y) unpacking and getting things how we want them.  We realized we needed to buy and install towel bars and toilet paper holders and shower rods in the bathrooms so we have been working on that.  John took a lot of leave so we could work together on everything but it seemed to go by in a flash.  He's had a couple of details he's been put on since going back to work and my medicine seemed to be less effective than it had been so our progress kind of fell down.  I have gotten an increase in the dose of my medication so I'll just be going through adjusting to the side effects for a couple of weeks or so, but I'm trying to keep getting things done and just take a break if I'm feeling dizzy or nauseated or what have you.
I want to post some pictures of the place, though, because a couple of people have asked to see some of the inside. :)

Johnny sitting adorably on the front steps.

The living room.  There is a big window to the left and the dining room to the right.

Dining room and stairs.

Kitchen

Other side of kitchen and can see the laundry closet.

Breakfast nook

One of the upstairs bathrooms

One of the bedrooms

Guest bathroom

Screened porch and back yard

There we go. :)  So these are pictures we took as we were deciding and going through the buying process.
I'm not very good at decorating and making things pretty.  I wish so much I had that talent like my adorable niece does.  (I kind of wish I could just hire her to come out here and make it all pretty for me. lol  But, for now Pinterest can tutor me. haha)  I did order a totally cute wreath from her Etsy shop (click the word "Etsy" there for the link if you'd like to see her fantastic shop) for my front door, though. :D  That spruced things up a bit.

Cute kite wreath!

 Adding our furniture and kitty-cats made it feel more like a home, as well.

They drift around the house depending on where the sun is. lol

Zoe-bears on the stairs. :3

Patches looking out the window.

And now we finally have blinds in the giant front window!  We had to have them measured and specially ordered and installed, so that took some time.  I am so glad not to feel like a goldfish anymore.  I'm sure the neighbors are envious of my stripey pajamas, though.  Totes adorbs.  (No, there will be no jammy pics today.)

Blinds!!!  And yes, there is a hammer on the shelf of my coffee table. lol

Oh, alright, one jammy pic just for funsies.

Such cute stripey and there also happens to be the most adorable marshmallow-esque Zoe sleeping with her feets on them. ^_^

Yay!  Now you guys can see pics of our new place. :)  We're excited!  (But yes I'm still terrified - what if a pipe just breaks for some reason and I have to build a bunch of new walls and ceilings and stuff? D:  I miss the maintenance guy!)  We have some plans for little changes.  I'm not very good at DIY stuff... or painting things... or hammering or sawing or fixing...  But, my sister-in-law is awesome at all of that and can give me some tips, I'm sure.  (And possibly get a couple of panicked phone calls or emails... sorry about that, sis.)  We still need to get a fence put in for the back yard which is stressing me out a little bit, but it will all be okay and fine and happy. :)  (John keeps me grounded because he is so positive and I keep him grounded by ... worrying about remembering all the things to worry about. lol)