sweat equity

It looks like we may be moving forward with this whole selling the house thing, but as I type that I'm getting a stomach ache. The realtor wants us to list the house ASAP, as in yesterday, and I cannot explain the quantity of stress that has contributed to my life. Josh and I are snapping at each other like crazy because we are so consumed by the monetary constraints and to-do lists and questions of whether we are doing the right thing.

Of course, since I have no time at all and 79 things to get done in that nonexistent time, Gabe made sure to get Coxsackie AGAIN. He's been home from school all week and whiiiiiinnnnnnnyyyyyy. At least his energy level is low also, so we've watched tons of television and taken long naps. While he is doing his movie watching (specifically Happy Feet which is his one true love these days, he would watch it on repeat all day if I let him), I have cleaned out the basement, scrubbed the basement, painted the ceiling in the basement, painted all of the pipes in the basement, painted the walls of the basement, scrubbed the outside patio on my hands and knees, cleaned off all the play structures and tables and chairs outside, and weeded through tons of junk. Tomorrow I am applying a floor paint to the basement floor, doing all of the trim in the basement, painting the stairs, and carpeting the basement. What? Did you think I sat around all day?

My mother in law is here and helping also, THANK GOODNESS.

I think we feel good about our plan to list the house and settle on a number that we won't go below, and if it sells, it sells. If it doesn't sell, we absolutely don't mind staying in the house for at least another year. In another year maybe the market has improved, maybe Josh will get a raise, and we will have one less car payment. That would be a good time to sell too.

I'm off to bed until I start it all over again tomorrow. I only wish I'd taken some before pictures of the disaster that was my basement, but I'll make sure to take some "afters". My future home buyers better appreciate this!