"Scary Future Plans" have turned into a "Not So Scary Reality"

In December, I talked about buying my step-dad's old house.  In April, I signed the settlement papers.  In May, I moved in.

There is too much to detail the entire process, but it was worth it.  When I filed my taxes in February, because I am also a grad student, I received additional money in my refund that allowed me to meet the minimum down payment required.  My step-dad also helped bridge the gap a bit with closing costs and other fees.  I still have to pay mortgage insurance, so it wasn't the recommended 20% down, but I'm okay with that.

It's been kind of weird living in a house that I've known for so long.  Part of me still feels like I'm house sitting even though all of my stuff is filling up the rooms.  It has this temporary feel to it, like I've had living in apartments the last 8 years.  The only thing that has helped me to feel like this place is truly mine, is the process of selecting color palettes for the rooms.  After 32 years of living in places where colors were either selected for me or I was forbidden to change anything, it's overwhelming to think of all the possibilities.