#colemancasita

Friends, we have a house!

The day after Christmas, escrow closed on our home in Bothell, Washington.

The same day, our offer was accepted on the #colemancasita in Newhall, California.

A little over one month later, we got the keys!


We have a fixer-upper on our hands, folks. I'm going to do my best to document the process - it's going to be a wild ride! These photos really don't do justice to the work that will need to go into this home, BUT we are thankful for the neighborhood we are in (a short walk from my parents house!) and we are starting to see past the mold and asbestos and dirt and grime (and blood!) to the potential it has.

Step 1. Treat for termites. 
Step 2. Remove asbestos and mold.
Step 3. Replace HVAC unit.
Step 4. Determine what to do with the crumbling chimney.
Step 5. General contractor to tackle the list of things we can't do on our own.
(This step will probably take a good 2+ months)
Step 6. Paint + clean.
Step 7. Move in!


Here's a peak at our BEFORE photos.

The entry way, complete with broken + taped-back-together glass.

 The living room.

 The sun room, aka the sauna. It smells bad and the metal walls make it either freezing cold or boiling hot.

 The kitchen. Thankfully the cabinets are good enough to keep! Excited to cook in this kitchen. A little paint and flooring is going to go a long way in here.

 Hall bathroom. This photo makes it look way nicer than it actually is. The tub is poorly sealed, causing mold. The area behind the toilet is....nasty.

 Bedrooms.

 Master bedroom. That door is going to turn into a window. You can't see the bloodstain, but its there.

 Master bathroom. Moldy cabinets, rusty shower, holes in the wall around the toilet, etc.

 Garage. Unsafe electrical. Mold and rotten drywall in the laundry area.

 Outside! A completely rotten patio cover. A roof which will likely need replacing.

Orange + lemon trees on the side!

 An olive tree out front that reminds me of Israel.

We'll be back with progress. 

xoxo

NEW YEAR, NEW START

2014 is gone. What!? I still don't know how that happened.

We are officially in Southern California. All our belongings are hanging out in a storage unit and we are living with my parents until we officially get the keys to our house. We found an old fixer-upper in Newhall with a lot of potential and while it will be a bit before we can actually move in, we are excited to get to work and make it home!

We are missing Washington! In a lot of ways, it still feels like we are down here on a vacation to see family, since we do that around this time every year anyway. I don't think it will officially hit us until we start settling in our own house and time passes and we are still here.

We got to start off the year with a trip to Yosemite for a lovely, FREEZING wedding - literally 20 degrees! Looking forward to a trip to Seattle this month for another wedding in Woodinville!

It has been fun to look back at the past year - friendships, abundant work, time with family. Before we moved, our dear friend took some photos of us in our home for our 2 year anniversary! I'm so glad we got that season of our lives documented - something I recommend to everyone. Document every moment, because things change quickly and its easy to forget.

xoxo

AND WE'RE OFF

This morning, we are loading up the last of our stuff and hitting the road to Southern California.

This past week, we spent a lot of time reflecting on the life we have experienced and loved in Washington. Many years of memories for Chris and a very VERY full four and a half years for me.

God has been so, so good to us.

I came to Seattle on a sudden urge to start over and start school. I found Alderwood on the recommendation of a couple good friends. I met some of the most amazing people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I was challenged to dig deeper into God's Word. I was cared for and loved. I finally figured out that the sweet guy I met with a shoe string tied around his head and a contagious laugh was going to be my husband and that would be the best decision I'd ever make. I got involved at church. I spent time with the best of friends. I can not tell you how life changing these years have been for me, in so many ways. 

It's a funny thing, how God directs us and changes our plans.

It's also funny how distorted our perspective often is and how little we understand of God and His better plans for us. 

I don't know all the things He has in mind for us as we leave Washington today, but I know they will be great as long as we continue to pursue Him in all we do. And that is our only plan. To pursue Him and follow His lead.

So here's to the most INCREDIBLE four and a half years I could have ever asked for. And all the years to come.

We are saying farewell to Washington, but Southern California is really not that far (and as I've said a million times to ease the goodbyes, I'm coming back to take photographs of all your babies and weddings, so keep 'em coming!!")

Thank you, thank you to each one of you that have played a part in our lives here. Our bonds are rooted deeply in our everlasting Savior and we are incredibly blessed to call you friends. 

xoxo

CRAZY THANKFUL

Life is CRAZY sometimes.

Example? Flip a switch and go from 'let's make this house into our home' to 'let's make this house look like someone else should live here.' It's weird.

Chris and I tackled a long list of projects to get the house 'buyer-ready' and let out a huge sigh of relief as we crossed off the last task. Caulking, mulching, re-organizing, re-placing, re-painting. Lots of ing's we don't normally think about. Many of you know I've been doing real estate photography for a couple years now, so it was fun to photograph our own house this time. We will be going live by the end of the week!

Anyone want to move to Bothell?

We are THANKFUL.

We thought Washington would be home. But we are realizing that home is wherever we are together. It may sound cliche, but it is truth. And ultimately, no place we could ever travel to will truly be our home. We are just here for a short while, to serve God with everything we have and give Him the glory. That is the goal. Eternity with Him is home.