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I’ve held this in so long that I feel like I might burst.

YOU GUYS. I have learned something about myself recently: I must blog about whatever I’m feeling/thinking about at the moment. It is so incredibly hard for me to write about anything else. I think that is why I’ve never managed to become a work-ahead blogger.

This is kind of like my therapy. I write what I’m thinking at all times, and when I can’t I feel like I’m going to burst. 😉 The past few months, we have started into a transition period in our lives, and I haven’t been able to write about it at all because the details have been working themselves out, and it has been KILLING ME!

Photo by elle and arre photography.

{photos by elle and arre photography}

Okay, so I am sort of being melodramatic, but it really has been difficult not to tell.

I was even going to wait a few more weeks to blog about this, but I just can’t take it one more second, so here it goes…

We are moving.

Now. It has been 7 years since we moved. At that time, I only had one baby, a newborn who just kind of laid there and had a minimal amount of stuff. And we weren’t selling a house. And I was 24 and had tons of energy.

Currently, I have two crazy (albeit absolutely amazing) boys who are 4 and 7, who are on the go all the time and have so much stuff that I feel like I’m purging it constantly. (Truly, where does it all come from?!) We are selling our house. (Why has no one ever told me that the house selling process is all consuming?!) And I am now old and can only expend a very limited amount of energy before I need a nap. 🙂

Photo by elle and arre photography.

Whew.

Now that I’ve gotten all of that off my chest, we are actually so incredibly excited about moving! Our plan was to be in our current house for 3 years– we’ve now been here for 7. And though we’ve been here longer than we’d thought we’d be, it has given us the time to really make this place our own, fix it up, and put our mark on each and every room in the house. (You can see all of the before and after photos in this post.)

I know that in some ways, we will miss our little townhouse, but we feel like it is time to move on.

Dining room decor at JustAGirlAndHerBlog.com

When we first started looking into our options for moving near the beginning of this year (which means that I have had to hold this in for nearly SIX MONTHS, guys! That’s like a decade in blog years! 😉 ), I think I looked at just about every real estate listing in our area. We were committed to staying close enough that Connor wouldn’t have to change elementary schools, so my search was limited to our half of the school district we currently live in.

There were many beautiful homes for sale, but none of them quite felt like “us.” Having recently undergone a major kitchen reno and a major bathroom reno before that, we weren’t sure that we were up for that again so soon, so that limited our search even more.

Kitchen decor at JustAGirlAndHerBlog.com

Eventually we narrowed our search down to a community where new homes were being built, just a few miles down the road from where we live now. After debating, weighing our options, and going back and forth for a little while, we signed the papers at the beginning of April.

Sold

And then the real craziness began.

Apparently, when you build a home with a community builder, you have a very small window of time to make decisions about every. inch. of. the. house. It was tons of fun, but also somewhat nerve-wracking– what if I chose something I would end up hating down the road?! It felt so rushed! It felt so permanent! This short window of decision making also happened to fall in the midst of our course launch for BookBoss, and I took two trips during that period too. Needless to say, life has been a little nuts, but in the very best way possible!

Currently, we are out of the decision making period and are waiting for the builders to break ground on our new home in a little over a week. We are also in the process of selling our current house, which has been a totally new experience and one I’m not sure I was totally prepared for! We’re hoping to be able to move in early to mid-September, and there are definitely a lot of unknowns and many details to work out between now and then.

So what does this all mean for the blog?

Well, it means that just like the rest of our lives right now, this will be a period of transition! I have one more room update to show you next week, but then all projects will pretty much be halted for the townhouse since we will be leaving it behind soon.

Living room decor at JustAGirlAndHerBlog.com

I plan on writing a lot about how we’re navigating the house selling process, what has worked for us, mistakes we’ve made, and everything that has happened along the way. Of course I’ll be sharing updates about progress with the new house, and while I can’t promise that the pictures of construction will be pretty, I do think it will be exciting to see how it all comes together, literally from the ground up. And I am absolutely thrilled that we’ll have a totally blank slate to begin decorating in the fall! (I am pinning ALL THE THINGS right now in preparation!!!)

Aaaaaahhh. Weight lifted. It seriously felt so good to be able to type that all out and share the news with you all! (And I literally typed out this entire post in approximately 10 minutes flat because I’ve been rehearsing it in my head for months, lol!)

I hope you’ll follow along with us as we start into this next new adventure– we are so excited to see how everything unfolds! Stay tuned for more details and pictures coming soon!

Follow Our House Building Journey:

I’ve held this in so long that I feel like I might burst. (You’re here!)

Our New Home: A Preview

The State of the Move: Some Updates

New House Update: We’re Getting Close!

Our New House: The “Before” Photos

 

Have a great day, friends!

Abby

160 Comments

  1. Ginny @ Organizing Homelife says:

    Abby, I’m so excited for you guys!! Congrats on the new house! Can’t wait to see the progress as you go through the journey. Blessings, friend.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you so much, Ginny!

      ~Abby =)

  2. I will follow your new adventure! Congratulations with the new house and good luck.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Eva!

      ~Abby =)

  3. Michele @ Moonfield Interiors says:

    That’s so exciting, Abby! Congrats 🙂

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Michele!

      ~Abby =)

  4. Casey Johnson says:

    How exciting and nerve wracking. My husband and I joke that moving again is grounds for divorce because we have done it so much!

    I will say that I totally identify with blogging about what is on my heart right now. I am very thankful for the notes feature on my phone to be able to get thoughts written down no matter where I am 🙂

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you, Casey!

      ~Abby =)

  5. Congratulations!! I love following along on your journey & can’t wait to see how you make the new house your home! Amy

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you so much, Amy!

      ~Abby =)

  6. Congratulations! I had a feeling you guys might be moving based on those sweet income reports 😉 I can’t wait to follow along on this next adventure!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Teri!

      ~Abby =)

  7. What fun! Enjoy the process! Looking forward to seeing your updates along the way. 🙂

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Sherri!

      ~Abby =)

  8. Sarah Eddins says:

    Congrats! That’s wonderful news!! Good luck with selling the house- with everything you’ve done to it, I can’t imagine it not selling soon!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      I am sure hoping that’s the case! Thanks so much, Sarah!

      ~Abby =)

  9. Congratulations! I am so excited for you guys. It looks like you are going to have a lovely view.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Yes! I am definitely looking forward to the view! Thanks so much, Jackie!

      ~Abby =)

  10. Nicole R. says:

    That’s so exciting! I think I see a Ryan Homes sign! We looked at their townhouses in our area, but they were a bit out of our budget. Hoping to move in a year or so!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Yay! Thanks so much, Nicole!

      ~Abby =)

  11. Gretchen | Gretchruns says:

    Congratulations! This is so awesome and I’m glad you got to stay in the same school district. Good luck with selling your house!

  12. Wow! How exciting for you and your family!

    I am about 3 weeks from moving out of the house I have lived for 17 years…into a house 1/3 the size. I am very excited about downsizing, but also a little nervous about it. Change is good, but the process can be a little daunting (at least it is for me!)

    Have a lovely day!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Yay! Congrats on your move as well, Randi!

      ~Abby =)

  13. Congratulations Abby!!! We just moved to a new house 3 months ago. And just like you, we were selling our previous house while we were building the new one. I completely understand the occasional overwhelming feeling and how energy draining it can be. But it will pass and when you think you cannot take it anymore, your new house will be ready 🙂

    We are absolutely happy with the new house and I think that this being our second house made it easier to make all the selections since we know what we like now (for the most part 😉 ).

    Good luck in this process!!!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Marite!

      ~Abby =)

  14. Congrats!!! Exciting times ahead and new projects to blog about. It is a win-win!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Lindsay!

      ~Abby =)

  15. So, so excited for you guys! I can’t wait to follow along on your home building journey. We should start the process before the end of the year, and I absolutely love to see how others navigate it!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Oh, how fun! Congrats to you, Leslie! Thanks for your sweet words and hope you’re having a wonderful week!

      ~Abby =)

  16. Oh this is great news, Abby, I’m so happy for you and the family. Prayers going your way for everything to fall together seamlessly.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Cathryn!

      ~Abby =)

  17. Congrats!!! You’re definitely in for a exciting, and sometimes wild ride. Since getting married almost 10 years ago, we’ve moved about every 2 years and had 3 kids along the way.

    I look forward to hearing all about your new adventure!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Ayanna!

      ~Abby =)

  18. That’s so exciting! My husband and I are in the process for purchasing our FIRST house and close next month! It has definitely been a whirlwind, and I expect it to be even more so once it’s time to officially move. I can’t wait to see some of the new projects you’re going to share in the new house!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Yay! Congrats, Erin and thanks for your sweet words!

      ~Abby =)

  19. Laura - The No Pressure Life says:

    That’s wonderful! You guys have been working so hard at this blogging thing, and this new house really seem like the fruit of all that labor. Good luck – moving with littles is tough, but they will love having the chance to decorate their new rooms! 🙂

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Haha! I’m sure that part will be interesting! 🙂 Thank you, Laura!

      ~Abby =)

  20. Congrats! We are also building a home at the moment and making all those stressful and exciting decisions. Everything will work out fine in the end!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Oh, how fun! Congrats to you, Cathy and thanks for your well wishes!

      ~Abby =)

  21. Congratulations! Many blessings to you and your family on the next chapter of your lives! I will definitely be following along!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you so much, Mirna!

      ~Abby =)

  22. Christene Holder says:

    Abby!!! I am so excited for you guys!!! We have a new Ryan Home too – except ours is a townhome – so I totally get the whole “make all the decisions NOW” process. There’s a lot to pick. I can’t wait to see what you guys do with a blank slate. It will prob give me some good ideas for our home too 🙂

    Can’t wait to see the new place !!

    >> Christene

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Christene!

      ~Abby =)

  23. ahnaadrian says:

    Congratulations! I can’t wait to see all the beautiful decorating you will do in your new home.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you so much!

      ~Abby =)

  24. The Heart Rock says:

    Yay Abby! I am so excited for you and your family! I can not wait to do this with my own little family and design my own home. What and exciting adventure! I can’t wait to follow along on your new house and get all the great advice from you on new constitution! Congrats! ?

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you so much!

      ~Abby =)

  25. How exciting! I bet everything will look beautiful. Everything you do turns out perfect. Can’t wait to see the progress unfold. I told you that you two reminded me of Chip and Joanna Gaines.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      LOL! I don’t know about that, but thank you so much, Crystal!

      ~Abby =)

  26. Olivia Snyder says:

    Wow Abby! Congratulations. I was actually wondering when you guys would move…how exciting. I feel like I am in your shoes 3 years ago so hopefully this will be our story too (I want to move badly) 🙂 Can’t wait to see the new house and all the new decor!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Olivia! I’m sure it will happen at the perfect time for you guys too! Hope you’re having a wonderful week!

      ~Abby =)

  27. HeavenOnEarth says:

    So excited for you and Donnie! I can’t wait to see it all get built literally from the ground up! You are going to have so much fun re-decorating … I bet you just can’t wait to begin!! All the best with your journey through the house selling process too 🙂

    1. justagirlabby says:

      I truly can’t wait! Thank you so much!

      ~Abby =)

  28. Congrats Abby! So excited for you and your family. We built our current home and though overwhelming at times, it was wonderful to have a blank slate to decorate!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Jennifer!

      ~Abby =)

  29. Karen @ a house full of sunshine says:

    Yay yay yay!! How exciting! I’m so happy for you!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Can’t wait to see your new house adventure unfold. xoxo

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thanks so much sweet friend! <3

      ~Abby =)

  30. Bonnie Watson Schallermeir says:

    Congratulations to you and your family! The boys are going to love the adventure as much as you and your hubby do! Can’t wait to see the pictures!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Bonnie!

      ~Abby =)

  31. Diane + Dean DIY says:

    What an exciting time for you all! A new place that the boys will remember as home as they grow up and make memories. I’m sure the decision making process is stifling at times. Try not to overthink everything or you might be losing a lot of sleep;). Congratulations!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      So true!! Thanks so much!

      ~Abby =)

  32. Stephanie says:

    Exciting times, for sure! Here’s hoping the sale of your current home, and construction of your new home, go off without a hitch! BTW, don’t know if you currently have central Vac, or whether it’s an option in the new house, but I’d never build a house without it again! We had it in one of our homes and I loved it (especially great in a two-story home – no more lugging a vacuum up and down the stairs! 🙂 Have a great weekend, Steph

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you so much, Stephanie!

      ~Abby =)

  33. Congratulations!! I am so excited for you guys!! Lots of new memories to come 🙂 Can’t wait to see your new house!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you, Anika!

      ~Abby =)

  34. Congratulations! What an exciting time for y’all and the new home is much deserved. I’m looking forward seeing the upcoming posts about selling a home and your new home.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Rebecca!

      ~Abby =)

  35. Abby! I’ve done this twice in the past 4 years. Yes we’ve built two homes. Crazy! But so much fun! So excited for you. 🙂

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Wow! That is seriously impressive! Thanks so much, Christen!

      ~Abby =)

  36. Congratulations Abby. Believe me this process is both exciting and frustrating. Our new home was completed in December and it was a roller coaster of both excitement and frustration. Building a home, even with a community builder, is quite the experience. I look forward to seeing your journey. My best advice would be to ask a lot of questions. Do not hesitate to question anything and everything. I know it does seem rushed but also know that delays can and will most likely happen. Luckily we did not have to sell a home too so I wish you the best of luck. There will be lots of new memories to be made and I look forward to the house pics.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Tabatha! I appreciate your advice! Looking forward to the journey!

      ~Abby =)

  37. Michelle Coyle says:

    Congratulations! It is very exciting (and stressful) to sell a home and buy a new one, especially one being built. I look forward to reading more about your family’s new adventure!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Michelle!

      ~Abby =)

  38. How exciting! There’s no way I would have been able to keep quiet about that for so long. Excited to see the coming pictures!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      It was so hard! Thank you so much, Michael!

      ~Abby =)

  39. That is so exciting! We won’t be moving out of our townhouse anytime soon, but I’ve thought about eventually building a house. I will love reading all about the process!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you, Mikki!

      ~Abby =)

  40. That is so exciting!! Congratulations!!! How fun will it be to decorate an entire house?!!! I can’t wait to see it all!!

    Susanne

    1. justagirlabby says:

      I am SO excited! Thanks so much, Susanne!

      ~Abby =)

  41. Congratulations! What an exciting time in your lives! My hubby is a realtor and we’ve bought and sold 2 homes in the past 7 years so I’m all too familiar with the buying and selling process! It can be a stressful time but you are very organized and have wonderful decor ideas and will do great. I wish you all the best during the transition and can’t wait to see the progress!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you so much, Melanie!

      ~Abby =)

  42. Zan Turner says:

    Congratulations in this new and exciting adventure. Your new home will be amazing – how exciting that you get to design it just the way you’d like it!!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you Zan!

      ~Abby =)

  43. Exciting news! This will give you so much material to blog about! I am looking forward to following along.

    I agree…selling a home is not easy. It took us 20 months to unload our condo a few years back. Not the most enjoyable process!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Emily!

      ~Abby =)

  44. LA McClure says:

    Big congrats to you, Abby. Prayers that you are able to sell your condo easily. Gotta say, I’m green with envy. I am still waiting for ‘my house’ to appear on my horizon.

    Best wishes!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you so much! I’m sure it will happen at the perfect time for you, too! Hope you’re having a wonderful week!

      ~Abby =)

  45. Congrats!!! We are in the home buying search and I actually saw your townhouse in my search! It’s so beautiful you will sell fast! Can’t wait to read about your next journey!! 🙂

    1. justagirlabby says:

      You are too sweet! Thank you, Meagan!

      ~Abby =)

  46. Congratulations, I am am so excited for you. Can’t wait to see the new house!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you so much, Candy!

      ~Abby =)

  47. Kathy Owen says:

    Congratulations! You’re old, hahahaha!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Haha! Thank you, Kathy!

      ~Abby =)

  48. Amy Ehmann says:

    How exciting!?! I’m sure it will be amazing.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Amy!

      ~Abby =)

  49. hollybertone says:

    Hi Abby – I had a gut feeling this day would come and so glad it’s here. Enjoy your new home! Much deserved blessings to your family! Hugs, Holly

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you so much, Holly!

      ~Abby =)

  50. Erin Ludwig says:

    OMGosh how exciting! Congratulations Lawsons! My husband and I did the same thing 11 years ago – wow time flies! We took tons of pictures of the construction and every step was exciting. Pro Tip: Have Donnie take pictures of the wiring and plumbing before the drywall goes up! It’s made adding outlets, light fixtures, and small renos go so much more smoothly for my handy hubby. 😉 Here’s to the coming months and years ahead! (Seriously, I’m squealing with excitement for you guys!)

    1. justagirlabby says:

      That is such a good idea! Thanks so much, sweet friend!

      ~Abby =)

  51. Having been through having homes built for us a few times in our lives . . .

    Here’s some advice:

    1. Take endless pics DURING construction; as much as you can! After you’re living in the home a few years, you WON’T remember how the wall was framed, where the electrical wires and plumbing lines ran, etc. We did this during our last build and my only regret was NOT taking more pics (it was back in our pre-digital photography days; hence, cost of film, processing, etc., was a factor).

    2. Monitor construction every day if you can, especially true for underground, pre-foundation, work. If your builder doesn’t allow you on site during DURING construction hours, go in the evenings after the crews have left to inspect each element of work done that day. If your do go during construction hours, ALWAYS wear a hard hat, steel-toed safety shoes (especially, NEVER open sandals), & safety glasses. That is one legitimate reason – i.e., safety – why contractors don’t want clients on the premises! An accident/injury impacts their OSHA safety record; ; hence their liability insurance costs AND Workers Compensation rates. BTW, Donnie, if you go on site when subs are working and your super isn’t there, though can keep quiet and feign “inspector” role. If asked who you are, don’t admit you’re the future owner. Just say your job is to “monitor overall progress” (that’s true). Don’t lie; just be vague. If asked to leave, say something like, “Well, if I do because you’ve asked me to leave, that may NOT reflect well with the powers that be (or you might be so bold as to say “authorities”). I’d recommend caring a pocket audio pen recorder with you when visiting during construction. Record everything you see and say (and hear) while on site. If someone later accuses you of saying/doing something, you’ll have your defense.

    3. If you have ANY questions/doubts, ASK, ASK, ASK your superintendent! Don’t wait – time is “of the essence”! By the way, befriend your super! Also, reward him at the end if he does well but do not suggest a future reward to him ahead of time; could be mistaken as bribery.

    4. Check roofing stage very carefully and, if possible, while paper & shingles are being laid! Our first crew was visibly drunk; I could see so from the street, 100+ feet away! Shingles were being laid crooked. Called our super on his cell to tell him. He called back later to say he fired them on the spot. He ended up having to hire another contractor, pay that contractor to remove all shingles already laid, buy more (half of the total quantity went in the dumpster), and do the job right. He thanked me for calling because it would have cost even more if caught later.

    5. Lastly, for those mods you didn’t think about ahead of time, try to deal directly with the subcontractor. Your builder may not allow it, per sé, but we rationalized doing so because of just that. We got our electrician to add receptacles for ~$20 each (1990 era) during construction when the builder wanted $75 each BEFORE contract signing! Also thought of adding insulation (for sound privacy) in interior walls around bathrooms and our master bedroom. Yeah, we might have been able to add that prior to signing; didn’t think of it. It only cost us a couple hundred bucks but WELL worth it!

    6. Keep ALL emotions in check during your final walk-thru inspection. You’re in a “ga-ga land” mental state and, if you don’t get cold & somewhat heartless, you WILL miss spotting defects that you’ll see when you return to earth!

    I wish you well!

  52. Beth Anne says:

    I seriously teared up a little when I saw the photo of you guys on your new plot of land! I am SO excited for you and can’t wait to follow your progress. This new house is something you’ve worked hard and waited for a long time.

    Aaahhh! Can’t wait to see building updates 🙂

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Beth Anne! We’re so excited and can’t wait for you guys to visit once it’s finished! 🙂

      ~Abby =)

  53. Oops, forgot another important suggestion:

    7. Get a set of the builder’s building plans (formerly, “blueprints”), full-size, if possible; else, 12″ x 17″ is nice cuz it can be scanned to a PDF our jpeg nicely. If there builder won’t provide you a set, go to your local governing building official’s office. Make your own record of “As-built” mods during construction, so you’ll have then for the future. No builder, or his subs, follow the plans precisely but YOU, as the homeowner, need to know what was actually done so when the eventual modifications our renovations start being discussed, you’ll KNOW without having to guess!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much for all the great tips, Larry! SO helpful! Hope you’re having a great week!

      ~Abby =)

  54. Abby! So excited for you cutie!! Can’t wait to see your new place! ?? xo

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you so much, Erin! I can’t wait either! Eeeek!

      ~Abby =)

  55. Congratulations Abby & family! Moving is so exciting but also somewhat stressful! Best of luck & looking forward to following the move on your blog?

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Esther!

      ~Abby =)

  56. Congrats!! We also built a Ryan home! Which model are you building? You will love it!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      We chose the Palermo model! We are so excited. Thank you, Lori!

      ~Abby =)

  57. Heather Alexander says:

    EEEKKK!!! how incredibly exciting!!! Prayers going up that things come together nicely and that you can be happy with your QUICK choices! I would be nervous, too. I like to do research and weigh my options before I make a choice. You’re brave, lady! <3

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Heather!

      ~Abby =)

  58. SO happy to read that your dream to move to a SFH (single family home) is finally happening! Congratulations!! From many moves ourselves, my only question is where will you live if your TH (townhouse) sells and your new home isn’t ready yet (which happens more than most folks realize)? You might consider putting a codicil in your contract to be able to stay in your home until the new house is ready, if that won’t be a major put-off to a buyer (it might even increase it for those who want to buy, but have a 60 day or more notice-to-move in their contract). Just a thought, as it is a ROYAL pain to move twice, not to mention all the likely hook-ups for the blog to continue smoothly. Looking forward to hearing more about the move!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Yes, that is definitely a possibility! We will see what happens, but it is likely a lot our stuff will be in storage for awhile. We are traveling a lot this summer, but we will see how it goes! Thanks for the tips!

      ~Abby =)

  59. Mary Beth says:

    So very happy and excited for you and your family. We’ve been in our house for 7 years, also and are hoping to move within the next two years (also to build ). I had a house built 18 years ago, so I completely understand what you’re going through. I was also pregnant at the time, going to school, and working two jobs. Best wishes! Can’t wait to see the new house!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Wow! That must have been a crazy time! Thanks so much for the well wishes, Mary Beth!

      ~Abby =)

  60. That’s so exciting Abby! My husband and I go back and forth constantly about building, buying bigger, or adding on! Looking forward to hearing your insight on the home buying, selling, and building process!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      It really is a hard decision! Thanks so much, Monica!

      ~Abby =)

  61. Ciara @ Favored Mom says:

    Woohoo!!! Super congrats!!! Building is sooo exciting!!! =)

    1. justagirlabby says:

      It really is! Thanks so much, Ciara!

      ~Abby =)

  62. How exciting! Congratulations! I know how hard it is to hold stuff in, I have trouble with that too. It’s funny that you wrote all that in 10 minutes! You must type fast. I’m looking forward to seeing your home being built. I always think that’s such an amazing process.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Brenda!

      ~Abby =)

  63. Congrats on your new adventure! However, your comment about being old?! You might want to apologize for that one! 😉

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Haha! Some days I certainly feel old! Thank you, Julee!

      ~Abby =)

  64. Rebecca Kennedy says:

    I’ve been wondering about that. It just seems like things have been going very well for you, and buying a house would be the next logical step. So happy for you!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you, Rebecca!

      ~Abby =)

  65. Mirline K says:

    Excited to be part of this new advanture. Congratulations Fam!!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you Mirline!

      ~Abby =)

  66. thentherestwo.com says:

    Fun, exciting times! I remember when we were building our home, and I was very ill with Strep when my husband came in to say you have to choose paint right now…ahhh. AND, after finally seeing the paint on the walls; well, it was not a good choice afterall. 🙁

    1. justagirlabby says:

      SO true! There really are so many quick, difficult decisions to make!

      ~Abby =)

  67. Tash @ Home of marble and mint says:

    Congratulations Abby, building a new house is an amazing time, although definitely stressful. We’re doing a big reno/extension at the moment, whilst living in it with 3 kids so if we survive that you’ll be fine ?

    1. justagirlabby says:

      haha thank you, Tash!

      ~Abby =)

  68. Praise God!! I’m so excited for this blessing in your life?.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thanks so much Indah!

      ~Abby =)

  69. rheonarobinson says:

    Congratulations!! Building a house is a fun, nerve wrecking, and exciting experience!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      It really is! Thanks so much!

      ~Abby =)

  70. Amanda @ misssueliving.com says:

    Eek! This is so exciting. Can’t wait to see how you will put your mark on the new house!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Amanda!

      ~Abby =)

  71. Congratulations! How exciting! It’s funny, I know this may sound weird but not too long ago I was wondering if you two would be moving some time soon. Low and behold here you are getting ready for your move! 🙂 I look forward to seeing pictures of your new house. My husband and I just decided this month that we are ready to move and will move, but not sure when yet as we are in the process of fixing/flipping a house and we need to work on getting our house ready before listing it. So, we have a lot of things to accomplish before we get to that point.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Laura! It is definitely time!

      ~Abby =)

  72. Congratulations on your new house…and good luck on the sell of your current home. You are going to have a busy few months. Just make sure you take some time for yourself and don’t run yourself ragged trying to do everything.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Great advice, Sharon! Thanks so much!

      ~Abby =)

  73. Vicki Bray says:

    Finally found a moment to read your post and I have to say I am so excited for you. I also can’t wait to follow along with how the process of selling and building a new home is going for you. We have just made the same decision to sell and build and I’m so excited but also terrified too. I am so looking forward to seeing what you have chosen for your new home. We are not quite there yet so I might learn something from your experiences. Thanks so much!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Vicki!

      ~Abby =)

  74. kleinworthco says:

    Congrats!!!!! So exciting. We built our first house & will hit our 2 year anniversary here soon. It’s a crazy process, we did make a couple decisions that we would now change, but we are okay with that & are working on it now. It’s been nice getting to know our space from the ground up & feel so connected to it- with only our memories here. I’m so happy for you guys- you will really love it!!!!!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you so much! I really can’t wait!

      ~Abby =)

  75. Marianne // DYOB says:

    Oh my goodness that’s amazing you guys! I knew it was bound to happen here soon and here you are. Totally get the whole keeping things in, sooooo frustrating!

    I can’t wait to see the new home and congrats on the new adventure!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thank you Marianne!

      ~Abby =)

  76. Lovely Decor (@lb_lovelydecor) says:

    Oh how exciting!!!! Super happy for you all and I can’t not wait for updates!!

    Keep going because your doing amazing and we’re all here to help you through (if you feel like ripping your hair out because moving is crazy). Congratulations!! xo

    Lauren | Lovely Decor
    xx

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Lauren!

      ~Abby =)

  77. Great news Abby…I hope it goes really well for you and your lovely family! You probably already know this, but meeting regularly with your builder during construction is a great way to make sure that any problems are ironed out quickly and you end up with the home you want – all the best!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Clarissa!

      ~Abby =)

  78. I can feel your pain – we recently sold our home (after 11 years!) and moved into a 5th wheel. That meant, we went from over 2000 sq ft to less than 500. We also decided to sell the majority of our furnishings and items and start fresh with building a house of our own. I could probably start a blog just on our journey. So…I totally understand what you are going through, and you will make it. Just hang in there 🙂

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much for your encouragement, Kimberly!

      ~Abby =)

  79. Nervous Girl says:

    WOOHOO! CONGRATS! This house doesn’t happen to be located in Northern Virginia, does it? God, I’d move in a second!! 🙂 Good luck and can’t wait to see all the new projects.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      haha! It is not, but Pittsburgh is a great place to live, too! 🙂 Thanks so much!

      ~Abby =)

  80. Congratulations Abby! That is awesome. How exciting that you get to choose the little details as overwhelming as that might be. I’ve been dreaming about moving lately. My daughter just finished her first year of college and she’s moving to a dorm in the fall. We are left with a large house and it needs so many updates to get it to where I want it and it just feels so overwhelming. My husband and I started looking at new constructions too. It’s the best way to get what you want without additional renos. We haven’t committed to moving we’re just dreaming at this point. Enjoy the journey!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you, Naomi! Sounds like you may be starting an exciting journey of your own… For now, enjoy the dreaming stage! 🙂

      ~Abby =)

  81. kancell724 says:

    What an exciting time. It’s been forever since we moved too. Sometimes we wish we could but then reality sets in that it’s not the right time. I will have to live through the excitement of your move for the time being.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Karissa!

      ~Abby =)

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