And So This is Why We Are Not Asking You to Help Us Move After All...

We have been planning to move for roughly half a year.  There are a lot of benefits about our apartment, but some major issues with it as well.

The biggest issues, which we felt were cause enough to move, were the following:
--overpriced for the size and location
--located in a school district with a less-than-stellar reputation (Caleb will be in Kindergarten our last year of grad school)

I started looking around at some different apartments and houses, to get a feel for what was available within our ideal budget.  I found a few places that I thought would be great from the descriptions and the pictures--until actually going inside and finding out all the information.  For instance, we toured one house that was only $750 a month (!), but lacked double-paned windows and had no insulation in the floors or ceiling.  I found out later that the electricity bills in the summer hovered around $325 a month.  I think we paid $125 last August (we have concrete floors and excellent insulation currently).  I also toured a very inexpensive 2 bedroom apt. for grad students on the Baylor campus, which lacked a washer dryer (or W/D hook-ups) and had limited space.  After calculating the cost of using their public washing machines (at least $75 a month for our family) and the cost of renting a storage unit for our excess items, the apartment wasn't so cheap after all.

Josiah and I began reconsidering our apartment.  The issues we were dealing with didn't seem all that bad after all, if it weren't for the price of the rent.  Plus, we were stressed about moving this summer, since between Josiah's show, our trip to Seattle, and his obligations in August we really didn't have all that much time to make the transition.  So, we went to our landlord and asked if he were willing to lower the price (there are empty units at our apartment complex), which he was.  In fact, he lowered our rent a whole $125 a month!  The more we talked about our options (and believe me, we talked a LOT!), the better our place seemed, at least for the coming year--now that the rent had been lowered.


One thing that has been extremely beneficial this year is our current location in relation to the school.  Josiah's ability to bike the 3 miles back and forth in 15 minutes is a huge advantage.  For one, we don't have to deal with the costs and upkeep of a second car, and I have the freedom of using our only car whenever I want.   Secondly, Josiah saves a great deal of time each day not having to find parking at Baylor (some colleagues complain that it can take up to 30 min. just to find a spot), or going to the gym to exercise.  We calculate that he saves an extra 4-6 hrs each week by riding his bike.  

Schools are definitely still an issue, but we have another year of leeway before we have to get serious.  In the meantime, Caleb will be attending a pre-K program at the Mom's Day Out I will be working at this year. 

We are still extremely tight in this apartment.  1000 sq ft. spread out over three bedrooms and four people is TIGHT!  However, we keep reminding ourselves that in Seattle, we would consider this ample space.  And now, the price is right.

So we won't be moving this summer after all.   This year, as in many years past, will be an exercise in contentment and gratitude for the blessings we already have--and I'll be working on changing my attitude rather than my surroundings.