Building a Home

Building a house seems to be a trend these days. My sister had hers built about 5 years ago. My best friend had one built in the country, followed by my husband's brother. My cousin and her new husband intend to have their own home built in the next 10 years.

As I referred to in The Blahs, my husband and I have been trying to find our "vision" for our life, our future - past making this month's house payment and keeping the roll call of doctors and hospitals off our backs. One thing we discussed was building a house - it was discussed because neither of us have any desire to do it. We can cross it off the vision list.

Here are a few reasons we have no desire to build a house:

• Our marriage would be forever tarnished. We usually can't agree on supper menus or which gas station to go to to fill up. One of us makes the ultimate decision. When it comes to a huge project like a house, one person can't make decisions THAT BIG without the other begrudging them later for it.
• I have extreme buyers remorse. I buy a shirt. I take it home, decide that it's too similar to one I have, I don't need it or the money is better spent elsewhere and 8 out of 10 times, I'll take it back. You can't take a house back. Nor the fixtures in it. You can't switch around the layout. When you buy a house as-is, you realize this. When you build a house....
  
• Would-a, Could-a, Should-a. Need I say more?
• I'm not willing to give up my life NOW for my life THEN. Over the years, my brother in law and his wife sacrificed tv, internet, A/C and he worked multiple jobs to get where they are today. That worked for them. They knew the payoff. I AM however, willing to sacrifice a meal out once a month for a hot tub (stay tuned).
  
• Building a house costs a lot - in more ways than one. 'Nough said.

No, instead of building a house, I think I'll stick with mine. Sure, it won't be paid off for another 28 years (that'll make me 59 - just in time for retirement). But it has character, charm and just the right amount of space. Even after just two years in it, it has a porch to die for, my TLC throughout, and we've worked hard for it and in it. We may not have built the house, or have any desire to do so in the future, but we have built a HOME - one that we are so proud of. And that's good enough for me.