And So it Begins...

Except that this really began nearly 5 years ago, right after we moved to Nampa.  We graduated from dental school in 2009, moved to Nampa and rented a small home while the practice was being built and until we figured out where we were going to live.  A piece of property with an old farmhouse came up for sale just a short distance up the road from the practice.  This property was NOT livable in it's "as is" condition.  However, we both saw it as a unique opportunity to eventually not have to lease our space but to own our own building.  Not having enough money to pay off student loans that total more than the average American's mortgage x2, build a brand new dental practice, buy a home for our family to live in, AND buy this property...we decided yet again to make a family sacrifice and make this small, run-down farm house livable.  We have been living in it for the past 5 years...and we frequently joke that as soon as we move out it's going to fall in...that the only thing keeping it together is a lot of faith and prayers.  (and a lot of hard work, patience and continual repair work.) 

 

Our new land...looking towards back of lot

 Throughout the past 5 years, we have been searching for the right place for our family to live.  Andy and I have literally walked through every single existing home on the market that met our search criteria.  We've looked in Meridian, Middleton, Eagle, Star, Caldwell, Nampa, Kuna, and done the rounds on these areas again, and again, and again.  Nothing felt right.  Until about a year ago when we fell in love with a short sale on the bench above Middleton.  That felt right until the sellers (who had 3 lenders) wanted us to pay off one of the lenders outside the deal under the table.  It was one of the hardest things I've done in my life.  I wanted that house with all my heart.  It was like someone had built it just for me...but I couldn't reconcile the fact that I no longer felt good about it.  Neither did Andy, so we took another leap of faith and walked away from the deal. 


where the house will sit, looking out front door

 The search now continued, but not one single house was even tempting.  People would call and tell us about a new home on the market and we'd look into it and it just felt flat.  No excitement, no interest whatsoever.  This has gone on for over a year now.  We've been praying continually to help us find a good place for our family, and fasting, and attending the temple trying to figure out where to go.


looking south...potentially where the walkout will be

 Over the Christmas break we decided to "fire" our realtor because he didn't have any interest in showing us land and lots.  He just wanted to convince us to buy something we didn't love.  We made an appointment to meet with a builder whose homes we have noticed over the past few years and have really loved his work.  That was the first thing that felt right in a long time.  As we sat down with him, we both just knew that this was the man who would build our home for us.  Funny enough...as we chatted with him, we figured out that he is the builder who had built the short sale house that we both loved and didn't get.  After that meeting, he assigned us to "go find some dirt."  And so we did.

 Ironically, I first drove through this subdivision right after we moved to Nampa, and I loved it then.  None of the middle lots with the great views were for sale at that point.  They were already sold.  I had kind of forgotten about this place until just a month ago, and as I was driving around out by the lake...there it was!  Two of the view lots were now available!

 We ended up putting an offer down on this view lot and closing a cash deal the following week.  It could not have gone more smoothly or effortlessly.  So we are now the proud owners of 4 1/2 acres of prime view dirt above Lake Lowell in the Deer Sky Subdivision.


first semi-clear day after a 2 week inversion...we were excited to go walk it!

Our new address will be 12587 Deer Ridge Trail.  We like it.  It has a great sound to it.  It feels like us.

 The lot is surrounded by 3 rail vinyl on 3 sides (we were super excited about that) and the lot is perfect for a walkout basement so we can take in all the great South and Western facing views.  We were still dealing with an inversion in these pictures...but you can see the Owyhees to the West, the Lake is to the North, more Owyhees to the South, and the Boise foothills to the East. 

 The kids' favorite part so far?  "IT'S HUGE!!!"  They are super excited to run and play as much as they'd like, to eventually have horses...room for a basketball court, swimming pool, etc.  Taylor is super excited to live close enough to the lake that he can ride his bike to go fishing. Andy and I are excited to plant our orchard and garden, and to build Andy's shop that he's wanted forever.  My favorite part?  When you stand where the house will sit...you can see in every direction...and the noise?  Well there isn't any.  Peace.  I can finally have peace and quiet when I'm at home.  I'm so excited to get off of Greenhurst.


along the back fence

This has been a long, difficult process...no one really knows or even begins to understand what we've been through these past 5 years...this has been our trial...and it feels so amazing to realize that we're finally coming out of it.  I'm so thankful to my 6 children for being patient with us...for enduring living in a tiny 1800 sf home with only 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom...for going without so many things so that we could pay off loans faster and save up the money we needed to start this new project.  I plan to write a post with more full detail of the trials we've endured over the past few years because I want my children to know what it took to get to where we are, and so that we can always remember the lessons we have learned from these trials we've come through.  I want to point out how others made it easier, and, unfortunately, how many others who should have helped to make it easier made it harder...I want my children to learn from others' mistakes so that they never treat people the way that some have treated us.  Nothing was given to us, nothing was easy, no help was offered.  This was 100% our family and our Heavenly Father...and I want them to remember that we came through this together.

And so the first step of the build begins...we now have dirt.  Next is to design house plans...I think we'll put in a few more bathrooms...