May 29th

The 29th of may is a good day for us. Five years ago we were watching the sunrise in Barcelona together. May 29th is the day we use as our anniversary since we have been inseparable ever since May 29, 2006. Last year, we went to Komi in DC. Komi is a 16 course tasting menu and blew us away. This years gastronomic experience was at Table 21 at Volt in Frederick, MD. The night was amazing. We sat at a bar in the hub of the kitchen with seamless service (and special accommodations for my gluten free diet), unbelievable wine and a mind blowing 21 course experience. Don't worry, my next post will outline all of the courses.

We don't really exchange anniversary presents, but this year we got the greatest present thus far: a RATIFIED CONTRACT! That's right, hopefully in a few short weeks the soon to be Paniagua's will be homeowners. Fingers crossed and I definitely do not want to jinx anything.

We saw the home on Friday, offer on Saturday afternoon, verbal acceptance on Sunday, and then a quick trip to kinkos to sign additional paperwork. Sunday evening at 6:30 (30 minutes before out multi course extravaganza) we got a crushing call.. another offer was coming in. We were able to push our concerns aside and enjoy our meal. After dinner Luis went to the restroom and when he came out his hands were raised in the victory/touchdown celebration dance. I was reading an "update" email from our agent wills and I had not gotten to the bottom. I didn't need to. Luis' face said it all.. we hugged and I cried and we went back to our b&b with a bottle of bubbly and sat on our balcony.

We still have a long road to go before keys are in hand.. (inspection, appraisal, financing)... but boy am I thankful for May 29th.

I'm running home, running home..

Tell the world that I'm running.. Home.
(To the tune of P Diddy's or apparently this week he is going by "Swag" song 'coming home')

I ran the 3.5 miles home today from work. I always am amazed when I run home or around the neighborhood. Today I ran by the White House, down the National Mall, passed the Washington Monument, around the US Capitol, by Eastern Market and around Lincoln park.

I even stopped to sign a petition in the park (how DC of me) against the DC Government changing the boundaries for the ward that I live in (and will hopefully by a house in) Ward 6.

What did you do on your commute home today?

Please excuse the fuzzy picture, but it was taken on my phone the last time I ran home which was embarrassingly enough was when the Tulip's were out.

xoxo
K

House Hunting

We have been waiting a week and 5 hours (who's counting?) to see if the offer will be accepted on the FIFTH house that we have put an offer in on. Did I mention that the DC housing market is insane?

Friday after work- see house for the first time. Love it, talk about it. It is a "fixer upper" and we also see a "turn key" ready place that we could also see ourselves in. It is the dilemma that we keep facing.. older (aka investment) or new (easy).
Sunday- We go back to the house for an open house, stroll through (without Wills our realtor)
Monday- all day long put together contract and submit offer
Tuesday Afternoon- Finally hear from listing agent confirming receipt... this was a long turnaround time to begin with.
Tuesday night- listing agent cannot find seller
Wednesday night- listing agent finds out seller is on cruise (who btw filed for bankruptcy which is why they are selling the house.. was this a bankruptcy party?)
Thursday- nothing
Friday- listing agent finds out seller will not be back until Monday
Wait out the weekend
Monday (today)- our agent finally tracks down the listing agent after trying to contact her all weekend and she says she is en route to the hospital and will call right back.

We are still waiting.

Now don't get me wrong, I hope that nothing is wrong with the listing agent, but I feel like this is something out of a sitcom.

Thank Goodness I had Kaitlin's Bridal shower to distract me this weekend. Not to mention, Jenna doing my hair, Jenn & Jay's new puppy, playing with the kid's and coming home to a new herb garden that Luis planted on our balcony. Speaking of our balcony, we are no rush to leave our fabulous apartment, however, we would love to have some closure on the house hunting.

Fingers crossed.

Part II

Wow, I really suck at this whole blogging thing.

The funniest/most tragic/traumatizing part of the engagement story was the next day. I put my ring on, albeit it was a little snug. I held it up on the metro and watched it sparkle even on the dingy train car. I was beaming, practically holding my hand up like I was doing the pledge of allegiance. I brought the ring box in, as I knew I would not be able to wear it the whole day. I was planning on going to the jeweler at lunch to get it sized. That trip to the jewelry store came a little earlier than expected.

I could not get the ring off at my desk around 10am, in the bathroom, soap, lotion, etc. I was freaking out and hopped in a cab to Georgetown. Luis met me there and didn't believe me that it was not coming off. OF COURSE Dino the jeweler was on vacation after the holiday rush. We went to two other jewelry stores across town. I had my hand in a glass of ice water at a bar. The day ended at the Tiny Jewel Box, a hoity toity store where fat old ladies in their mink coats were returning their Christmas Presents. I showed them my finger which was now protruding over the ring and they told me they were going to have to cut it off. I broke down in tears and apologized a million times to Luis. They quickly ushered me to the back and cut it off. They took a can opener type device and cut my brand new ring that I had been waiting almost 5 years for off of my hand 15 hours after I got it. I was devastated. I even had to go to dinner two nights later with the ring in my ring box to show all the girls. Everyone who congratulated me, or wanted to, merely looked at my empty hand and gave a hesitant.. Congrats??

Two weeks later, I had my ring back, shiny and new. Did I mention it is the ring of my dreams?

Some people would think it was a bad omen. A lot of my family members and friends joked "that would only happen to you." I take it as a great sign of whats to come. Whatever life throws at us, we are at most a cab ride away from one another, there may be some tears, but there will most certainly be laughs, and the most important thing: we are in it together.

xoxo