As you know, I found that house in MO that I love . . really, really love. It has almost 6,000 square feet and I know that for two people, that’s a lot of square feet but, good or bad, we need a lot of square feet. Vince has 3D printers and he needs an “office”. I need a sewing room. I need a room for the longarm. I have the freeze dryer that takes up space and needs to be somewhere. I want a big kitchen. You’ve heard me complain about my current kitchen for seven years. I know . . a lot of people have smaller kitchens and do just fine. I’ve lived with it and we haven’t gone hungry but I do want a bigger kitchen. I want a big dining room where we can seat at least 10. I could see holiday dinners with Chad, Nicole, Addie, Nicole’s parent. I could see Chad helping cook holiday meals in that kitchen.
We have a lot of stuff that we aren’t ready to get rid of yet. With half the house being a walkout basement, it isn’t like heating and cooling a 6,000 square foot house in Texas.
The 40 x 70 shop is a good distance from the house . . not like our current shop that’s close so freezers, freeze dryers . . all the things I use would have to be in the house. I don’t think we’d have a hard time using all the space. It wouldn’t be nearly as dusty there as it is here so cleaning it would probably be about as easy as it is cleaning this house.
But, the bottom line is . . Vince does not want to move back to Missouri. The main issue . . well two main issues . . taxes and winter. I guess there are multiple issues. If Chad transfers somewhere else, we could be living there and be far from them again. Oh . . I would not want to be me if I convinced Vince to sell this place, buy a big house there and then Chad move away and I was wanting to go wherever they were!
When I drive 10 or 11 hours, I want to make the trip worth my while and stay at least 10 days but being in someone else’s house for that long, or longer, isn’t easy on any of us.
Ten hours in the car yesterday . . I had a lot of time to think. As much as I love that house, I really don’t want to talk Vince into doing something he doesn’t want to do. Not like I could do that anyway. I was thinking how to convince him that he really wants to buy that house but then I realized that was not the right thing to do.
Then I began thinking along other lines. I thought . . even though I’ve sworn we would never have two places again, what if we buy a small house in MO and keep this place? We’d still be Texas residents for tax purposes . . we’d be in Texas way more than in MO. But Vince, Rita and Boots (maybe Boots . . we might try that once and not do it again) could all go, we could stay two or three weeks at a time.
Having a house there would free us up to move anywhere we want to move when we do decide to sell this place. Vince wants to stay in Texas but I keep saying . . if I’m moving, I’m getting closer to MO. So, if we had a house there and Vince would go with me, so long as we don’t go any farther than we are now, I’m ok with wherever he wants to go.
He wants to wait til after the first of the year to close. Since I’m not looking for a full time residence, that changes what I’m looking for in a house. I may even agree to painted kitchen cabinets.
I’ll believe it’s all going to happen when it happens but at least this conversation gave me hope that soon I’ll get to spend more time with Addie.
Dotti says
If you are moving to spend time with Addie, do it sooner than later. Once they get to middle school, their lives get so busy you won’t see as much as you would now. Also, didn’t you go ” to town” everyday you were in MO? Just thinking
Judy Laquidara says
Yes, but town is 2 miles from their house. Every time I went it was because I needed something. Cooking at their house means frequent trips to the store because they don’t keep the same kinds of things I keep. I went to Joplin three times . . twice for my car to be worked on and once to get the fabric for the flower girl dresses (on the only day the bride to be could go).
I never mind necessary trips . . it’s the trip just to have something to do that aggravate me.
Rebecca in SoCal says
That sounds like me and television…I don’t mind watching television, but having it on when nobody’s paying attention to it aggravates me.
Pat Anderson says
I agree with the sooner rather than later for sure. We moved to be by the grandkids (they were 16, 12, and 5 when we moved almost 2 years ago). We knew that the one we’d have the most influence on would be the youngest and it’s so true. The 18-year old is in college and working so we hardly see her (and there is only one house between us), the almost 14-year old is gradually pulling away although he has a very special relationship with Grandpa that I am very thankful for (Grandpa taught him how to use the riding lawnmower, safety, etc.), and the now 7-year old is a source of much delight even though he is a teenager in a 7-year old body. Our goal was to create memories for when we are gone as well as to have support if something were to happen to one of us. We are so thankful that we moved when we did. It was hard physically and both sons helped us so much. I would recommend PODS if you do decide to move. We saved so much money going with them and just hired movers to pack and unpack them (as well as our sons). Anyway, something to think about. I will say, however, that our son told us that they will retire here (he is active duty Air Force for another year) or we wouldn’t have moved. No more moves for us for sure! Good luck with whatever you decide. It is a big decision!
Teri says
That house is beautiful for sure and lots of room too! What are the odds that Chad will continue working/living where he does now for many years? Do they like living in Missouri? It would be awful if they were to decide to relocate after you moved there unless you and Vince both love it. Still hoping you get your forever home though!
Nelle Coursey says
I like the idea of 2 houses for a while. As already stated, Chad, Nicole and Addie may have to move somewhere else with his job. I think you need to do whatever will make you and Vince happy together.
Rebecca in SoCal says
Always thinking, aren’t you? I would just hope that you don’t end up spending more time in the second house while Vince is still in Texas; that would be sad.
The thought does occur: what about Cat, and the chickens? What about a garden?
dezertsuz says
This opens up new options, and that is a good thing. It’s a compromise for the now, and that’s a good thing. Something great will come along, if it’s meant to be.
Ruth says
I totally agree with you NOT convincing Vince to move to MO. He would always remind you of how He did not want to move but you promised this and that and didn’t produce. Vince does have to make up his own mind so that he also takes responsibility for the decision to move. Prayer helps (again and again) to clarify things and remind you of what is important to you and your husband.
Good luck (no more rattlesnakes on the doorstep!) and Best Wishes!
(At least all these problems mean that you will keep blogging and sharing your life with us!)
Lynne Stucke says
What about moving to north Texas, near the La/Ark border? That would be MUCH closer and would get you away from scorpions and in green grass ….
Janet says
I can understand! We are in Michigan and our 3 grandchildren live in SC. We are 17-18 hours away. We did the 2 home thing 10 years ago. We are SO thankful we could do this. Our permanent home is in MI where we were both born and feel is “home”. We go to SC after Thanksgiving (my son in MI likes me to do Thanksgiving dinner). We stay there until April or May depending on what is going on. It has given us the opportunity to really know and enjoy the kiddos. They are now 11, 13, and 15 so they come to MI for a week or two in the summer one at a time. That gives us more time. Already we can see them getting to the age where their friends, school, and soon jobs will take their time. We are soaking up as much as we can get. We have no idea what we will do down the road but feel like it will work out the way it is supposed to. We knew when we bought our little town home (about a mile from them) we would sell it or rent it if we needed to for any reason. We have been blessed that it has worked out well. Good luck with your decisions! They do seem to get more complicated as we get older.