I should probably go buy a lottery ticket right now

(or: How I became widely disliked throughout southeast Michigan)

The best thing to come from my extended stint on bedrest was, without a doubt, two healthy baby boys.

What I didn't realize would become the second best thing? My parents are moving to Seattle.

I'm going to say it again, just because I love to. MY PARENTS ARE MOVING TO SEATTLE.

This is me giggling like a little schoolgirl: Tee hee hee. Tee hee hee.

When my Mom arrived at our house on January 10th to help during my bedrest, she planned to stay two weeks, three at the most. But when the time came, she was reluctant to leave. Partly, of course, because we were so pathetic and needy. But mostly because of this goofy guy:


As the weeks passed, my Mom realized that she couldn't answer the question, "How are you going to leave Bean after the twins come?" She knew Bean would be devastated to lose his grandma, and she would miss him like crazy. Maybe she could stay even longer...

That's when everything started to get a little crazy. My Dad talked to his recruiter in late March, who suggested he follow up on a Seattle job opening that just happened to be posted recently by an old friend/coworker of my Dad's. He interviewed and they went nuts over him (natch). Just like THAT my Dad was giving notice at his old job and coordinating details of the move. Then my Mom called a friend of hers who works in real estate back in Michigan. The realtor visited their house and declared she had the perfect buyers. And indeed, she did. Before my parents' house was even on the market, it was sold.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I was browsing craigslist (before that scary murder incident happened, shiver!) for a car seat for Bean to use in my Mom's car. On the list was a seller in our small area of town, so I contacted him. My Mom and DH went over to his house that evening to purchase it, and they happened to see a house for sale in the neighborhood. They grabbed a flyer and put it on the list of homes to be shown by my parents' realtor here in Seattle.

Yes, you know what's coming next... it was their favorite house, and they have put in an offer. Still working on negotiations, but we are all hopeful. It's exactly one mile from our place, very close to the elementary school our kids will attend.

DH and I couldn't be more thrilled to have my parents living nearby. We are so excited to have free babysitters and have already discussed at least a dozen things we want to do sans kiddos that Bean and the twins will have their grandparents as active participants in their lives.

Starting with the healthy, full-term birth of the twins, it's mind-blowing how lucky I have been in the past month. Our family and my parents' friends back in Michigan aren't thrilled that we are "stealing" them away, and I imagine there are quite a few voodoo dolls with my likeness that have pins stuck in them right now, but I maintain that my only crime was having an irresistibly cute toddler who calls for "gramma hugs" when he wakes up. I'd like to take credit for their move, but it's really not about me.

Either way, it's a done deal now -- we got 'em.

(So nanner nanner.)