Take it easy...

1. I will write in this more. I promise. But I'll start with little posts.

2. Natalie and I have been debt-free since July and are now considering buying a house toward the end of this summer. We will have enough cash to put 20% down and should also get the $8000 tax credit at the end of the year.

We are doing this because interest rates are so dang good right now that our house payment would scarcely be larger than our 1/1 700 sq. ft. apartment rent. Then we should have the house paid off in a couple of years after that. Hurrah for responsible money management!

We are looking for houses in several areas: Farmers Branch (probably, since our church owns property at Royal/Midway and will be building there soon), Addison (open to the idea), Richardson (not quite as likely), or Lake Highlands (unlikely unless we find a really good deal). Hopefully (for us) the real estate market will actually tank in Dallas by then and we can get a good price along with good rates on the mortgage. We'll see! It's nice to be able to look without pressure like when we were moving from Denton-- our apartment complex, unless I remember incorrectly, will allow us to rent month-to-month for a slightly higher rate, so we can look without being rushed.

I'm always looking for more advice about this subject, so if you have any pointers, throw them my way.

3. I'm really awkward sometimes. Natalie reminds me of this sometimes, other times I just realize by myself. Example: tonight, I took the puppy downstairs to pee and was about to carry him back up the stairs when our neighbor's friend was walking down the stairs. We made eye contact and smiled and she said about the puppy, "He's cute!"

I just froze. I knew what she meant, but... how exactly do you respond to something like that? I can't really say "thanks!" because that would be a little presumptuous of my dog-raising skills, right? I could have said something along the lines of "totally!" or "I know, right!" but I'm not a 14-year-old girl.

So what did I said? After she had already walked by, I just stood there after a pause where you'd expect a snappy one-liner, and said "I know." "I know," not even with a hint of sarcasm or enthusiasm, as if to suggest that there weren't any other conclusion to seeing my dog. I must have looked like such a tool.

4. We are joining Providence Presbyterian this Sunday. Yay Poctas!