Oliver Comes Home

Oliver got to come home today! I got him set up in his Halloween costume as his returning home outfit. He's adorable in it. I especially like the skull cap, which didn't make it into his photos (he hates hats!).

I worried about what it would be like at home vs. the hospital, but so far, it's wonderful being home. Nursing is even easier and more relaxed. He loved the glider and fell right asleep, and now he's staying asleep in his swing. It's giving me time to eat the meal Andrew made me as well as update my blog. Still, I'm typing as fast as I can in case the little guy wakes up!

Here are some photos of his homecoming.

Packing Up the Apartment

We're expecting our new home to be ready July 8, and our lease is up here July 14. Today, I decided to start some packing. It's weird to think we might be moving all this stuff out in less than two weeks.

I'm really excited about our new home and having a permanent place with Andrew. Still, it's bittersweet. This is the first place I've had as an adult, and the first place Andrew and I have had as a couple. Two years went by really fast, and I'm going to miss it.

I hope I like the next place at least as much. There won't be a big pond in the backyard and no ducks, but we will have forest and (hopefully!) deer. Our second bedroom is going to be a nursey instead of a computer room, and I wonder know where our bookshelf and books will go. In the attic? Weird.

It's amazing to me how much life has continued to change for us over the last few years. We went from planning a wedding and getting married to moving into our first apartment to losing a lot of people who were dear to us. We moved on to new jobs, started looking for a home to own, and now we're expecting a baby boy. This, all in the matter of a couple of years. While it's a little sad to move on, I'm looking forward to some consistancy... to being able to enjoy our current stage of life and hopefully not have to deal with too much at once.

It's going to feel so satisfying to move this stuff over to our new place and know that some of the big changes are coming to an end. We can focus then on one, big change... having a family.

Me, a Home Owner?

Andrew and I have recently been discussing buying a home summer 2009 or 2010. I've heard a lot of people mention a grant for first time home buyers, but it's very difficult to find anything on the web.

I found the government's website http://www.grants.gov from many websites that offer help to find federal and state grants. However, no matter how hard I search, I can't find any information at that site for grants for first time home buyers. HUD had a website that had step by step instructions on how to apply, but they didn't explain which grant to search for (they simply said to search by the number of the grant without offering any example numbers). Additionally, I couldn't find much information on Colorado's assistance for first time home buyers, except to learn that this state doesn't offer grants.

I was wondering if any of my readers knew any specific information. What grant do I search for? Is it easy to apply? Does a person apply before they find a house or after?

Thanks!