Our home

Our home in Grandville on the day we signed.

This weekend, Amar and I will officially move into our very first home. It’s been a busy month, and I’m so glad move in date is finally almost here.

We started our search for the perfect home in April. Our lease was ending at the end of July, so it was the right time to start our search. For a few weekends in a row, we spent hours each Saturday and Sunday looking for the perfect fit.

Those weekends were long and hard on the feet. We made our way up and down staircases, through kitchens and into basements in search of the perfect fit. We saw some houses that were so small and others that needed a lot of work. We decided to enlist the help of a realtor, and I’m so glad we did, because he pointed us to our now home in Grandville. Grandville is about 15 minutes away by car from the heart of downtown Grand Rapids.

Immediately, Amar and I fell in love with the house. It has a big, bright red door and a wreath hanging on the front. It has a spacious kitchen and new appliances. One of the rooms I love the most is the sunroom, which I have turned into my library and reading room. Just outside the sunroom is a set of stairs which leads to the patio. There is a pergula with six chairs and a table. And for something completely new for us: there is a creek that runs in the backyard! Our home is in a quiet neighborhood, which we could not be more excited about. Yet, it’s minutes away from a huge mall and nearly every store you could want.

Buck Creek runs through our backyard.

As we prepare to move in, I cannot help but compare the house to the house I grew up in. Up until this point, I have spent most of my life in my childhood home in Naperville. It’s where I have countless memories. Memories of singing and dancing marathons from my room across the hall from Monica in her room. Memories of swinging on the backyard swing set with my sisters. Memories of Nature clubs we created in our treehouse. More memories of our rollerblading and bike riding adventures throughout our neighborhood.

I have so many wonderful memories in the home I grew up in. Just like me, Amar spent his childhood in one home in Parsippany, where his family still lives. He went to the same school district all his life, just like I did.

Our backyard.

As we prepare to start this next chapter as homeowners, I cannot wait to make memories to last a lifetime with our family in our new home. I cannot seem to spend enough time there. We’ve made a promise to slow down our busy schedules and enjoy the rest of summer at our home. If you’re looking for me, you can find me somewhere organizing and decorating.