My First Place

Six years ago, I purchased my condo and today it entered Pending status on the MLS.  In one week, it had 22 showings, 2 offers over asking and 2 offers under asking.  I am pleasantly surprised because I thought that I would have to hang onto this condo for many more years because I was so underwater just a year ago.  Even though I am still taking a loss on this sale, I am more than pleased with the selling price because my loss is less than I had braced myself for. 

Looking back, I went through a lot of ups and downs with my condo.  There were days when I relished in the independence I felt, living on my own and having my own space.  Other days felt lonely and I regretted not purchasing a place where there were homeowners on similar walks of life around, not to mention in a city where the housing market would actually hold its value. 

More importantly, my condo was also Echo's first home.  We tried to shield him as much as possible from the craziness of the move, but I will never forget his reaction when I brought him in to the empty space after we had moved all the furniture out.  He walked in, eager to find his daybed and relax after a long day.  When I opened the door, you could tell he was taken aback, slowly walking in and curiously looking around.  What once was familiar to him, no longer was.  Sad.

But all in all, it is always difficult saying good-bye to your first home because those four walls hold so many memories and have been through some of life's most pivotal moments with you.  That feeling of home still resonates within even as I walk through room to empty room.

Things I'll miss most...

• Being able to walk everywhere, whether it be to Nordstroms Rack or Petco or grabbing a cup of coffee at Starbucks on a Saturday morning
• Feeling super safe though living alone being on the second and third floors of the complex
• Not having to worry about house maintenance (e.g., gardening, termite inspections, paying for water)
• Location - it was so central to all of the cities we most frequented
• The condo was so cozy and always felt warm and inviting no matter the weather outside

TwelveTwo Solutions, Inc

This has been long overdue, but I finally decided to incorporate myself.  After much contemplation, I have come to realize that operating as my own company comes with financial and tax benefits that I need to take advantage of. How did I come up with the name?  I thought about a few others...Titanium Consulting, Echo Consulting (named after my little pooch of course), etc... but they were all taken!  One day a few months later, 12:2 popped into my mind.  Romans 12:2 is my favorite verse of all time:

Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then, you will learn to know God's will for you which is good, pleasing and perfect.

I quickly Googled this name, and lo and behold, it had not been taken yet!  I just knew this name was "the one" because TwelveTwo serves a dual purpose.  Not only does it represent my company, but it also creates an opportunity to share my faith if asked about the origin of the name.  Perfect.

Echo's 1st Gotcha Day

Since we don't know when Echo's actual birthday is, a friend of mine suggested the idea of celebrating his gotcha day instead - the day that we brought him into our lives.  To celebrate, I got him some gourmet treats and a brand new toy which, in true Echo style, managed to destroy within the first half hour.

Enough with the poses, lemme open my treat box already!

My Mommy loves me very much

Heeey, that's my cupcake!

It has been such a quick year and it has truly been a blessing to watch Echo grow into his own.  It seems like only yesterday when I had him on my lap on the drive home with his little head on me while looking up at me with those big brown eyes completely unaware of his new life with us.  Stopping by a pet store picking out his first leash and collar and some toys.  He now knows 20+ tricks, is fully potty trained (unless at someone else's house), is independent, and is just the sweetest dog.  I wish that I could freeze time so that he could stay this age forever - he is growing up too quickly!  Echo has taught me patience, forgiveness, and what it means to love unconditionally.  I will continue to cherish every precious moment with my little guy!

Doggie Roomies

We had a little visitor for 5 days this past week.  While his Mommy and Daddy were up north getting hitched, this little Yorkie spent quality time with his new buddy, Echo.

 

Sharing the only sunny spot together in the house

First night away from Mom and Pops

  

"So, what do you think?  Nice view, huh?"

On their way to doggie daycare

Moron of the Year

Yesterday, in the midst of Grey's Anatomy killing some time before heading to my parents house for dinner, then to the airport for my upcoming business trip, I sewed a button back on a pair of shorts.  An hour later, I saw Echo trying to pick something up off the ground with his mouth.  I went closer, and saw that it was half a needle!  If you are a regular follower, you'd remember that Echo had swallowed 1.5 sewing needles last October.  I immediately said "sh*t!" and thought, not again!!  I immediately searched for the other half, but couldn't find it.  Then, I took out the set of needles and counted. There were 8 slots, so 2 in each slot - 16 total.  I counted only 15.

I looked at J...asking him what we should do.  "You're sure there should be 16 needles", he said.  "Yes, that would make sense.  There are 8 slots, 2 for each which equals 16."  We had to make a decision.  We could continue to search for the needle, but risk the other half traveling further down his throat if he did swallow it, or we could take him to the ER immediately for a peace of mind.  We decided to drive the 33 miles to the ER.

When we got there, Echo was shaking furiously, barking at anyone who walked through the doors and hiding under the bench where we sat in the exam room.  I guess he remembered his previous visit which wasn't very pleasant.  The whole process took 2.5 hours mostly spent waiting while playing Candy Crush.  We had to wait for someone to come in to get our information, then to take his vitals, then to get estimates on how much it would cost, then to take x-rays, then finally to give us the diagnosis.  I eventually pushed my flight out to the next morning because I wasn't going to make it.

They took 5 x-rays - no needle.  Though relieved, we thought, "Now we have to turn the place upside down to find the other half for a peace of mind."

We paid the $411 bill and left - ouch.  When we got home, J pulled out the flashlights and we began our search retracing Echo's steps.  After about 20 mins, the only thing we found was how much dust collects in areas where I don't sweep as much and earthworms and bugs crawling in the mud.  Disgusting.

Deflated, I looked at the half needle that I found again and wondered...could this be the SAME half needle that I kept from the last time and it had fallen out of the sewing box when I pulled it out of the drawer?  I pulled out the set of needles again and dumped them all out carefully on a piece of tissue.  1, 2, 3, 4.....15.  One is STILL missing...OR, was there supposed to only be 15 needles?  I immediately jumped online and searched for the packet that I had purchased.  Singer 15 Count Self Threading Hand Needles.

Fifteen.  FIFTEEN!  I had one of those surreal moments where everything that has just happened flashes quickly through your mind.  The initial panic, driving to the vet, Echo nervous, waiting and waiting, paying for the exam, searching with flashlights...Why didn't I confirm that there were 15 needles vs. assuming?  Well, 8 slots for 2 needles in each slot - doesn't that make sense?!  A huge amount of guilt swept over me as I relived what I put my precious baby through over the past 2.5 hours.  Another level of guilt consumed me further as I realized how much time and money I had wasted.

Just look at his face.  I am a horrible doggie Mommy.