Rob&Nicole , Com

December 25th, 2007

On December 22nd at 2:45 pm, we finalized negotiations with a buyer and went under contract to sell the condo in LA.

Anyone who knows us has a good idea what an incredible psychological and financial burden this process has been over the past 7 months of our lives.

For those who don't know, we bought our condo in '05 with the hope of remodeling it and selling it in '07, then moving to Bellevue, WA to be close to family.

Despite the fact we used designers and their crews to do most of the work, it was a huge amount of creative energy, time, stress and money to get it all done.

We spent three times over what we originally planned. Working in a premier West Hollywood high rise presents many challenges beyond the logistical. But the results were worth the cost. We created what we felt was the perfect home for ourselves, and actually had some time to enjoy it.

Fast forward to April 2007. Elliot is only 2 months away from being born and we have a choice to make. We're uncertain about the state of the LA real estate climate. Prices are holding steady, but banks have been tightening their standards for lending, and inventory is creeping up. We consider selling now, and moving to an apartment before our big move up to Washington at the end of '07.

But we don't want to move right before he's born, and have our lives turned upside-down in the middle of such a momentous event, then move again. We decide to put it on the market 30 days after he's born so that we can at least experience his first month without added insanity.

A couple of days before Nicole goes into Labor, I accept a new job and we purchase a home in Bellevue, Washington.

Then the best day in our lives happens and we meet our son. The next month is completely perfect and wonderful in every way. It's a magical time for the three of us.

Fast forward...

August 12th, 2007, three days before we go on the MLS. It's early in the morning and I'm holding Elliot while Nicole gets some needed sleep. I'm standing in my underwear watching MSNBC and nervous economists are arguing weather it's a credit "freeze" or a credit "crunch". Either way, they seem to agree that something bad has happened, and that things will get worse.

Within 4 weeks the market has changed. By mid-September the speculators are gone. We don't get many showings, so we start to lower our asking price. No offers. Price reductions... more showings and still no offers.

Then we had to move.

I can't really explain how hard it was to deal with reality from September to December. If moving out of state and starting a new job with a 4-month old child weren't stressful enough already, the double-mortgage and draining of our savings made it that much worse.

Actually the most painful part was that when Elliot smiled at me, I was usually worrying about our worsening financial predicament instead of fully appreciating him.

We didn't know how long it would take to sell the condo, and as the months wore on, we wondered if it would ever sell. Circumstances prevented us from renting it, so our only option was to sell it. We knew our savings would dry up in a few months. My mind raced endlessly with questions but no answers. We became extremely careful with our money, and prepared for the worst.

It's weird how hard it is sometimes to be really thankful for the things we have. Seems kind of unfair that we work so hard to achieve our goals, then take them for granted instead of really enjoying them. We keep looking to the next big thing, or stressing about this or that, and forget to see what's right next to us. Or maybe that's just me...

Being thankful for the things we have can be hard. Everyone's probably experienced some kind of extreme hardship that forces them to re-evaluate priorities, focus on the things that matter, and enjoy the small things.

Our financial crisis took a huge toll on our net worth. It ravaged my soul, gave me some gray hairs, and terrified me. I experienced fears I haven't felt before. And I was forced to empathize with anyone who's had hard times.

But I learned some lessons I would never have learned otherwise. Faced with huge financial loss, I was forced to take stock and appreciate the true riches I have.

Christmas was coming, and I decided that I would be happy for the things I have, regardless of impending financial disaster. My beautiful wife and child, friends, family, and a good job were right in front of me. If we had to, we'd short-sell the house, default on our condo, and live as renters with damaged credit, but alive and together.

Then, as I drove alone up to Canada to meet up with Elliot and Nicole at her parent's house, with a gray horizon ahead of me, my cell phone rang. I dreamed of that call for 7 months, and as the rain started to hit the windshield, the sun started shining in the car.

And now when I look at Elliot's face, I know he'll be happy, healthy, and have a good home. I'm not distracted. I appreciate what I have. That's really the best thing.

-Rob

After finding out the buyers had signed the counter offer, Rob strips down and rolls around in the snow. Later, he's seen shivering in the bath tub with a cup of cider and a "thousand yard stare"...

Nick and Kelsey stop over for dinner the night before Christmas.

Unwrapping is the best part! Elliot plays with the ribbon as much or more than his new toys.

Ross gets a kick out of watching his grandson.

Chris is presented with her stocking Nicole made for her. Over the past year, Jacqueline and Nicole spent several hundred hours cross-stitching these stockings for their mom and dad.