On this first day of summer break

We put Dot on a real estate website Wednesday evening. We put a sign out in our front yard on Thursday morning. Calls and emails began flooding in. Our 1 PM showing laid out an offer in my very own backyard before they left. We showed it a few more times, and I waited to hear whether some friends of ours thought it would be the right time to pursue buying a home in our neighborhood. We got the official backyard offer in writing around 6:30, gave a quick counter, and I was crashing by 8. My brain could not keep up with the crazy whirlwind that had just happened (my girls' last day of school, a birthday party, and swim lessons all happened in there too). I woke up at 5:30, got up at 5:44, saw that our friends were going to pass, and went straight to the offer we'd received. We were under contract by 10:30 this morning.

Here's the kicker. It was a cash offer. Do you know how much easier cash offers are than any other kind of offer? Like a million times easier. No inspections. No appraisals. No anything. They want our home and are fortunate enough to have the money upfront. I know it isn't really over until it's over and the money changes hand at closing, but I just can't believe it. One of the best parts is that we're set to close July 30th. They would have closed ASAP, but I really didn't want to move anywhere else until we move to Los Angeles. Jake is contracted to work through August 1st, and we're rolling out August 2nd, so we'll still have a few days where we'll be living out of suitcases, but everything fell together so nicely. [AND SO FAST!]

[DID I MENTION FAST?]

So, after 10:30, we headed out for our First Day of Summer Break adventure. We ran to my doctor's office to get something signed that we needed for UCLA housing, and then went to food truck we've always wanted to try. Are you ready for this? It's called The Loaded Bowl. If I had a list of worst names to go along with anything selling food, The Loaded Bowl would be on it. Name aside, all of the food is vegan, and everything we had was good. So good that we wish The Loaded Bowl was a restaurant by almost any other name. Jake had "The Gardener" (lasagna), Cora and I had enchiladas, and Magnolia had mac 'n cheese.

We took our vegan fare to Kite Park in Nichols Hills (the playground is all sand) and had a little picnic. The girls played for a bit, and then we headed to Whole Foods. Sometimes I think there's something sort of wrong with me because Whole Foods is like a destination for me. Some people love wandering through Target alone on a Saturday night (or any night, and by "some people", I mostly mean moms). Me? I like wandering through Whole Foods. And today was nice because Jake was there, and I wasn't worried about anyone falling a part. Don't you just love the bulk aisle? I think I could scoop thick rolled oats into bags all day long? I should just stand there and offer to scoop things for people. My real point is that we stocked up on some yummy food, came home cleaned out the fridge, and put all of our new food away.

Then we were going to head to Myriad Gardens. I had been sending a few extra things to our buyers' agent to send to the title company, and I was almost a little relieved when Jake said, "Why don't you stay home?" I took him up on it, and vegged out on my bed looking at places to live in Los Angeles as a potential alternative to grad housing. Grad housing just has the best price tag. Hands Down.

My little family rolled back in from the park and the library as I was finishing up dinner. I haven't cooked a real meal in days between painting and crazy cleaning and showing. They also showed up just as the rain started coming down. Good timing. Even though they were already wet from playing in Thunder Fountain. The girls took a warm shower, we had dinner, read stories, Jake left for rehearsal right before we read scriptures. We said our prayers, and our goodnights, and after a while of reading a "few more drinks," I think my Little Loves are asleep.

So, to sum it all up, on this day we:

Entered into a contract to sell Dot.
Finalized our moving plans.
[We don't know where we're moving to, but we know how our stuff will get to the general vicinity.]
Had a fabulous family day.
Enjoyed some much needed rain.
Ate a home cooked meal.

Phew.

Last day of school photo. I only almost cried when we were picking them up. I forced those tears to stay in because I don't think I would have been able to stop had one breeched my eyelids.

PS: As I was typing this, I saw the person who will be the new owner of Dot do a slow drive-by with a relative following behind him. I waived at him when he was passing our living room window, and he waived back. I really like the family who bought Dot (almost - the almost applies to the buying, not the liking - I'm keeping it real). The mom and dad (the slow driver-byer) live in the 'hood, about three blocks away, and they're buying homes for their daughters in the neighborhood so they can all be close together. They were a sweet family, and I think it's neat when a family can live so close. When a family can and wants to live so close. One of the first things "the mom" said to me, smiling, was, "So your house's name is Dot?" I could tell that she loved her, and that "the daughter" loved her, and that "the dad" loved her enough to try to write me a check in my backyard. And they all knew about lovely historic things like Frankoma clay tiles in fireplace surrounds. They "get it." I feel okay. 

  

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