Be it ever so humble...

There's no place like home! I'm going to try to keep this post to a reasonable length, but it will be long so if you'd like to see a picture of Nick's and my house in New Mexico, scroll to the bottom.
This past weekend my mom and I flew out to Clovis, my home for the next 3 years or so, for a house hunting excursion. Nick and I have rented for the last 5 years and are so excited to take the plunge into homeownership! However, we're on a tight timetable since Nick arrives home from Afghanistan roughly 6 weeks before we have to show up in Clovis - hardly time to find and purchase a house!
Enter Mom and Dad, who flew Mom out to help me in my quest for our first home. Mom - you were a great partner in crime, and I had so much fun with you! Thanks for all your help and encouragement.
Below, you'll see Mom and me at Leal's, a Clovis favorite. The Mexican food was great - I know Nick and I will eat here a lot! It was a great way to unwind after our first day of househunting. We were out and about from 10am until 4 or 5 looking at about a dozen houses and then scoping out the neighborhoods. We saw some good houses the first day, but not one that was perfect, and I was definitely gearing up for a pretty big compromise. Here I am with Holly, my realtor, who was a superhero! I loved working with her, and look forward to being friends when Nick and I move. She even told me all about her church, a Methodist church, which Nick and I will definitely visit. At the beginning of day two she took me straight to the house I ended up putting in an offer on, but had refused to see the day before because it didn't have a fireplace. As soon as I walked in I knew this was it! But Holly was a good sport and took me to see my second and third choice options "just in case." Later on when I had made my decision she saved the day by scooping up the keys from the builder (who was going out of town) just in the nick of time so I could get into the house and snap pictures to my heart's content! She also has made this entire process really easy for me, which is helpful for this first-timer.

So, here we are...Clovis, a community for family - I sure hope so! Clovis is not Dallas, or even Waco, or even San Angelo, but it is a really friendly town with enough restaurants and shopping to keep me sane. Mom and I found, with Holly's help, several cute little home/gift stores and clothing boutiques and learned about all the places to shop for groceries. Another thing I love - there are sidewalks and walking/running trails everywhere! We saw lots of groups of kids walking around my neighborhood together and with parents and pets. I already feel very safe, comfortable, and right at home in my new home! And yes, there are trees and my yard will be sodded front and back so it doesn't look like a desert.

Finally, without further ado, here it is! Home sweet home. It's in a neighborhood of similar homes and backs up to a small base housing area. Ooo, and did I mention it's on a corner lot? Fin is going to love his bigger backyard. There's actually a little playground behind what will be our back fence! We're also close to the country club and all the best resturants and shopping. Kids in our neighborhood walk to the #1 elementary school, which is just a few blocks away. I couldn't be happier! We close in April and will move in on May 10th. Hooray!!!