Wow… Just wow.
As I sift through the pages of craigslist… Tears trickling down my cheeks, I realize how daunting of a task it is house hunting as a single mom.
The next day, armed with my schedule of showings (8 to be exact), I pick the kids up from school and declare our plan for the evening. “Mummy needs you guys to be extra good while we look at houses okay? And tell me which one is your favorite!”. “Yes mumma” they both reply in unison.
We arrive at the first apartment and park in the visitor parking zone. As I look up, the first thing I see are 2 fire trucks and a dozen rough, disheveled onlookers. Always a good first impression. I help the kids out of my dads borrowed jeep and lock the doors, checking twice as I grasp the kids hands firmly and walk towards the front door.
10 min late an older gentleman approaches. Gentle lines around his eyes exaggerate as he smiles and says “Alyssa? I’m Jim, you are here too look at the place?”
“We … are!” I hesitantly replied…. I was contemplating saying “no sorry, my name is barb, I’m just waiting for someone” but I refrained and decided to give the place a shot.
He opened the front doors and escorted us to the elevator. The walls were cigarette stain beige, the carpets looked like they used to be light grey but were now a warn down dark brown.
I felt a strong tug at my arm and looked to see landen motion with his pointer finger to come closer. “Mumma…this place smells and there’s writing scratched into the elevator door” he whispered.
I chuckled to myself, no doubt a natural reaction to how uncomfortable his adult like observation made me feel.
Jim proceeded to tell us about how tight knit the apartment community was; “we even have a BBQ every month with the neighborhood crime watch!” He exclaimed excitedly. I think at that point I may have thrown up in my mouth slightly.
We quickly checked out the small
Apartment, still under construction. It was a decent size for our little family but was old and needed a lot of work for the price. I thanked Jim for his time and left him to install the new Walmart special vanity he purchased for the bathroom.
As we took the elevator down, both kids were visibly agitated and I could tell they were disheartened that this was a glimpse at what our future home would be like.
On to the next 2 apartments and 5 basement suites… All of which were complete holes. Too small, too dirty, bad neighborhood.
As I sobbed outside of the truck where the kids couldn’t see, I texted my sister “ugh, I feel like I’m in the movie 8 mile” to which she responded “you’ve only got one shot….one opportunity… Bom bom bommmm”. I laughed as I wiped the tears off my cheeks and climbed back in the car. “I’m sooooo hungry I think I’m dying” said Vienna with an over dramatic tone. I wished at that moment I wasn’t alone, that I was able to have someone watch them so I could look at all these places without the guilt of carting two kids around.
Half way home my phone rang. It was the gentleman I had left a message with regarding a 1200sq ft basement suite with a full backyard and hot tub.
The price was too good to be true, 750$ everything included, cable, Internet the works! He asked if I would like to come see it.
At this point I was drained, the kids were
miserable and hungry. But I decided to check it out, it could be the one after all.
As soon as we walked through the door I felt at home. It was clean, had a cozy living room, huge open kitchen, and the bedrooms were the perfect size. I had 100$ in my wallet and handed it to him within the first 10 min without hesitation.
Thankfully he was willing to hang on to it for me for a month so I could figure out the lease at the old house.
After everything, all the tears and complaints from the kids, we found our new home. I didn’t realize what an emotional journey it would be.
It’s been almost a month and a half since we’ve moved in and I have not felt this at home in a long time.
I will write about the joys of moving an entire 5 bedroom house while working and balancing kids in my next post!
Another challenge conquered, many more to go, but I know I will power through each of them!
The one thing I kept telling myself through this entire process was “breathe…..Alyssa…just breathe”
Breathe.
Alyssa's MOMoirs 