Well, James and I have decided that we're going to take the plunge and up the mortgage to some ridiculous amount that will mean staying in for the next few decades. We're now looking for the home that will hopefully be our family home, and we will stay in for the next however many years. It's exciting but nerve-wracking at the same time, because we're planning to stay in this one long-term, so we have to get it right. Still, it's good fun nosing around other people's houses all the same.

 

It really does make you appreciate what you've got though - even in our little two-bed mid terrace I swear we have more parking and more outside space than some of the four beds we're looking at. Quite frightening really. And it seems that every house we see online and think "Wow, this one looks amazing..." there's always something "wrong" with it, like it's at the bottom of the busiest, most cramped cul-de-sac on the entire estate, or it's had a really dodgy extension/conversion/conservatory, or it backs directly on to a really busy main road... Oh well, we'll keep on looking; it's not as if we're in a despirate rush - we'd rather get it right first time than rush into something, realise our mistake and have to go through the whole process again.

 

Hopefully our place will be on the market soon and someone will love it. In fact, I'm sure someone will, because I do! In a way I'll be really sad to leave my little house. It was my own home for nearly four years living on my own before I shared it with James for a year, and for me it marked a turning point in my life, when I became truly independent and self-reliant. I loved living on my own, but I'm loving being married too, and I'm really looking forward to the next stage of our lives, despite the scary mortgage payments!!

 

N