Gratitude
It has now been over a year since we've been in our new home. I could not have done it without the people who helped us with our donations for the downpayment. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. I'm not going to acknowledge you all by name in public, but we will be having thank you notes coming out over the next few weeks. Thank you all. Owning a home comes with it's own challenges that you don't have when you rent. The appliances are yours. So are the gutters. The walls. The carpets. If something goes wrong, you have to handle it. You can't leave it to the landlord. Pests on the property are all yours too, from noxious weeds to vermin. I love that. It has it's own wonderousness, too. It has beauty, and the ability to change the land and the structure as you like (within limits). You don't have to ask anyone to paint, or to put in new flooring, or redo all the plants. It's all yours, with all the rights and attendant responsibilities. In my cas...