2012

So, it looks like we may finally be doing something with our lives for the New Year. After what seems to me now like years of carefully reviewing every last detail, and negotiating endlessly, and hunting for quality attorneys, CPA's and realtors, we've signed a contract to buy a practice in Northern CA.

You'd think now we can relax, move out there, just take over and enjoy a fantastic income while we're paying off the huge debt we just signed up for. But that's now how it goes. At least not in our case. It seems like the things that need to get done don't end. There are always some papers to be reviewed, signed, faxed, or what not. Then we have to move across the country, and figure out things like where to live, health insurance, and little details like how to actually run a practice.

And most importantly, you have to secure financing. Which makes me sick to my stomach right now. We've contacted 5 banks, 4 of them a week before Thanksgiving. And somehow those banks are taking their jolly good time to get back with any info. And so I'm stressed. Because with buying a practice also comes the joy of raking up huge expenses before you've even made a penny (how about a $1250 bill from the CPA just for helping you figure out what you want to put in your offer for buying the practice, or $1000 for the Attorney to read over your offer for you, or all the escrow fees running up already to about $3000, and we won't mention the commission for the realtor, or the $4000 for moving us across the country and..., geeze, where did I put that $10,000 bill again???). So, costs are piling up, while our bank account says "empty" and it's simply freakin' me out. The sale cannot go through if we're not getting the line of credit we need. So we're in this weird limbo state of waiting, and raking up bills hoping all works out.

Sick. Really. I'm totally stressed. But if all works out, we'll be packed and rolling out of Ohio on the 3rd of January.

And if all goes well, then I can maybe finally figure out our health insurance, and stuff related.

Or sleep at night. Peacefully. No wait. That won't happen for a while either way. If all works out I'll still be sick to my stomach for while over the huge debt load we just took on, wondering if we just made the biggest mistake EVER.

But it seems like a really great choice. The practice is well-established and solid. It nets a great income on a 3-day work week!!!! We feel it'll be a great opportunity to do many things as a family and pursue a lot of the things we care about. The draw back is the debt and living in a town of 3500 people - with the closest big town being an hour away (and only being 100,000 people big). But hey, San Fran is only about 4 hours away. That's really not so bad.

Anyway, so in a few weeks we should be living in CA, and running our own practice. It should be fun and great and exciting. Hopefully it all works out. But while we're still in limbo, I just feel stressed. Lots of bills that I'm not sure I can pay do that to me.

I hate debt. How have Americans lived so peacefully for so long with so much debt????