This is *my* life?

It's pretty easy to get so caught up in your life that you don't really take the time to appreciate what you have. I know I'm guilty of that. And since we bought the house (it really needs a nickname--one other than "the money pit"), I do tend to focus more on what's lacking or what needs to be fixed than the actual house as a whole. We had a pretty stressful beginning in our new home, and I admit that I still have trouble falling asleep at night if I start thinking about how we'll afford the new fence, patio, patio furniture, windows, etc., that we'll need to purchase soon. But something happened the other day that helped me step outside all of that for a minute.

I was in the backyard with the girls, enjoying our beautiful spring weather, when a woman walking her dogs stopped by. She asked how we were enjoying the house (she lived on the next street over) and started telling me how much she loves our house and how much she wishes it had been on the market when she was looking for a house in our neighborhood. After she walked away, I got to thinking. I was never really sure how Dean and I would afford a house in the first place--let alone one that people actually *envied*. Of course, the obvious caveat is that this woman has never been inside our house, has no concept of all the work that needs to be done, etc. But still--we were the *third* couple to have a bid in on our house (not counting the other couple who had a bid in on it when we placed our bid), so clearly, it's a house other people love. And, of course, there's no denying that every time I drive up to it (seriously, no exxageration--EVERY time), I look at our new house and can't truly believe I live there--cracked foundation and leaky downstairs shower aside. It's a good feeling--a lucky feeling--and it's good to stop every once in a while and just be grateful for it.*

[* And, me being me, I have no doubt that now that I've said this publicly, the roof will cave in tonight or we'll find out we're infested with termites.]