I had a friend tell me when she and her husband went through building a new house that it was very much like going through a pregnancy. She has delivered 6 children, so she does understand that process very well.

          This morning when I woke up, I was thinking about how much I could relate to what she said with our own process of buying a new home. It's true! I feel like I am about to give birth again. In fact, we are in the final countdown as we anticipate closing next week and moving in the week after that. For those who maybe haven't given birth, or those who have but haven't bought a new home, I will try to explain this little analogy.

        Back in February, we found out that we might have a buyer for our current home. (Could we be pregnant?) We started looking for homes, trying to anticipate that this could be the real deal. As it turned out, we did not have a buyer at this time (negative test,) but it set up a chain of events that led to the actual event.

         In March, the realtor of the home we are buying asked our realtor if we'd make an offer on that home on a contingency of the sale of our current home. (Ok, maybe that would line up better with adoption than pregnancy.....) Tony had seen the home, but I hadn't. I knew if I saw it, I would be more likely to be emotionally attached, and I didn't want to see a house unless it looked like we really were selling ours. However, this realtor offered to have some "investors" come look at our house if we did this, so I agreed to look at this house along with another house we had been interested in.

        We saw the houses in April. Both houses were great. The properties were completely different, but I could see myself living in either one. However, it was obvious that this particular property is the better one for our family.  So, we signed papers and pursued this house on contingency of the sale of our home. (We're pregnant!) (Not really! This is  part of the analogy....stick with me.....)

        Of course, April and May was mostly about our son's surgery and recovery. However, certain things lined up so that we could make an offer on this house without the contingency. It seemed like we were really going to buy this house (entering second trimester...) At one point, it looked as though the sellers were not going to let us purchase the home, but they had to because they signed the original contingency. It was very nerve-wracking, and could easily be related to worrying about a miscarriage!

        Finally, they agreed to our offer and the next phase of the process began--- inspections! We were a bit nervous going into the inspections and appraisal, knowing that if something major was wrong, the sale might not go through. (This was a lot like going to the dr for an ultrasound, wondering if something significant would be wrong and would the baby be healthy. This is particularly true after you've gone through an ultrasound of a miscarriage...... )

        Everything went well with inspections and the appraisal! We really are going to move to a new house.....(the baby is ok and healthy....) and now we wait and wait and wait. Preparations are made as we get closer and closer to the "due date." Instead of pulling out boxes of baby clothes and baby furniture, we pull out boxes and put everything in them. We are trying to make sure we have everything we need and we anticipate the house's future needs, our financial needs, etc.

         We wait and wait.... and now, we are in the countdown. Only 6 days until closing..... less than 2 weeks till we move in..... ...... I feel like I am anticipating both the day my labor begins AND the delivery date. Well, I have been in labor for over a week before, so that still holds true a bit. There will be hard work going through that final week, but that will be nothing compared to the day of delivery! Furniture delivery, that is!

          I can only anticipate that the transition afterwards will also be similar. It will take some time for the pain to go away. Time to get to know the character and charm of the new place. Paperwork will be in order as we change our address and order various utilities (birth certificate, social security number, insurance forms, etc.) We've already been offered a couple meals and I'm sure people will want to stop buy just to see the new place. Each member of our family will have to adjust to the changes that will take place. I'm sure afterwards, I will be able to relate very well to the process of bringing home a new baby (but, hey, without the nighttime feedings and diaper changing, so that is ok!)

Yes, I feel very much pregnant with a house!