Barbie Dream House

When I decided to demand more of myself and the universe in terms of love and relationships I took the advice of a book, the title of which I cannot recall now, and made a list of all the things I wanted in the person I would share my heart and soul with. I didn't include things I 'didn't want' hoping to avoid the negative in any direction altogether and instead listed the positive opposites of such things.

And then (borrowing from a letter now seemingly ages-old sent to friends and family around the world introducing my love...a letter that I imagine inspired a collective sigh of relief):
"I met him by accident, in the worst (but supposedly the best) city in India JUST as I was deciding exactly to l-e-a-v-e. I had yet again phoned 'home' to give the news. I had even begun to pack my things. And then one day I found him sitting in front of me at the trendy outdoor coffee bar (Barista) on Mahatma Gandhi Road (which every Indian city has, the way all American cities have MLK Boulevard) inquiring about the English classes I reluctantly (and therefore, very expensively) offered, I told him "No way, I'm leaving, so sorry..." so he asked me out to dinner instead (to which I said "Whatever, but I'm still leaving.")...and as they say, the rest is history..."

As I got to know H I was more and more startled to realize that he ticked off each and every request on 'the list' - a list I'd tucked away with a resignation to remain alone for it's absolute impossibility at ever being fulfilled (It was a LONG list).

It works - that whole list-writing exercise. And I've used it since for everything from finding and selecting new clients and projects to locating whatever pair of shoes it is I imagine will best complement a new skirt or pair of jeans.
I made a shopping list and found my husband...my soul mate. It may sound funny, but it's the truth.

And so, as we look into the not-too-distant future - aiming our gaze at Portland, Oregon in particular, we're scanning Craigslist daily for rental houses in the NW 23rd/Pearl areas and I can see it's time for another list to be created.

We know already that Portland will cater to my fixation on being in a metropolitan environment and my nearly life and death need to be near large bodies of water. It will also satisfy H's penchant for snowboarding, gigantic bookstores, and Persian food.
It's the housing specifics I've to pray on paper for.

There are some things that we can manage without, but others are strictly musts: leafy, green trees outside our windows, and whether we decide on a house or apartment, it must be cozy, paintable at my discretion on the inside, and have closets large enough to house H's plan to grow a small server farm and my plan to shop. If an apartment, it must be at least on the third floor.
In any case, it should be walking distance to both downtown and 21st/23rd, have tons of windows and light, a bathtub (I will never again settle for a house without and will swim in bubbles and hot water probably daily upon our arrival), a dishwasher (as neither of us is inclined toward the manual completion of the task), have lovely neighbors, as well as allow space to expand our family to include at least one puppy and one baby (in that order), etc.
It's a list in the making as yet, and will surely morph a bit as we both look back on various places we've lived - noting the things we liked and didn't like about each..but it's time, we're in contact with the Embassy this week regarding H's visa and looking at approximately six months to eight between us and our future-imagined home.

When I was small I always believed I'd live with my husband in a human sized Barbie Dream House - of course, I realize now the inherent problems with this notion as the house was quite pink if I remember correctly, and solid plastic. Two qualities not on our currently developing list.

The universe delivered on the most important request of my life-thus-far via this very method of manifestation - it created and delivered to me a living, breathing Prince Charming all in the space of a few weeks after the thoughts were set in ink, so we'll get started now and I think we can safely assume that our cozy little home will present itself in much the same way, at the appropriate time.
I think I'll even buy a little notebook just for this list alone.