Who knew?

I love my house. I love there are no neighbors above me or below me or tacked onto the side. I do not have to load quarters into a slot to pay for laundry. I can take a shower or run the dishwasher whenever I feel like it. (I have a dishwasher!) I can paint a wall or buy a new light or change the landscaping without asking approval from anybody.

The freedom is intoxicating.

Looking for new lighting makes me happy. Thinking about getting the ceilings scraped of popcorn, redoing the downstairs 1/2 bath, and shopping for curtains -- these are the new highlights of my day.

A half hour ago I bought curtains online. I am still riding that high.

Jeremy and I have lived together in apartments since 2000. Nearly a decade, rounding up, of barely functioning appliances, dirty carpets and white walls. I feel like we have earned this and that makes it even sweeter.

This post is not meant to tempt fate or gloat. We are all a medical emergency away from bankruptcy -- luck can change. But right now, I am happy all of the things we've done have led us to this place.

Now I just have to be better at keeping it clean.