CT House Hunting and the Mystic Aquarium

Lily Grace loves playing on the town Green

Strolling the shops around the town square

Matt  being a very bad influence

The Baby Belugas were adorable and just amazing to watch.

Sting Ray touch tank

One of Lily Grace's favorite aquarium exhibits was the Jellyfish

From bad to worse...he shouldn't have jumped on that bed    

We visited CT last week to look for a new house.  Let me just say, there was never a dull moment. 
Lily Grace was armed with her pink paint chips for when we found THE house (She wants her new room to be painted pink.) and I had my checklist and a bundle of nerves.  Matt, well he was Matt.  He had his number scenarios and documentation and yes, a few nerves.  (His nerves stemmed from worry about how my nerves may take it all.)
I was feeling ok about it as I had two top contenders I had seen on the internet and just knew one of these was the house for us.  I also felt really good about our realtor Jane who I selected via the internet because she looked really nice and she was wearing pink in her picture so Lily Grace concurred with my decision.  I had talked with her on the phone previous to our visit and she and Matt had even gone to see a few houses and Skyped me on the walk through. (And just for the record, Lily and I made a great choice, Jane is very funny, honest and nice.  Lily Grace is smitten with her.)
Well, Lily Grace and I armed with our cameras entered the first house and SHOCK.  It's a very different housing market in that the homes aren't brick and they usually fall into two styles, colonial or cape cod.  They are also much older as new construction is not prominent there.  You also get much more yard, trees and the things that really make a home feel welcoming.  You also get a well and septic.  Heat is usually oil or electric and it is delivered by baseboard vents around each room.  Most homes don't have air conditioners as they aren't really needed and yes, the cost of living is BIG.  One thing you may find interesting, just as we did is that it's actually hard to find a house without a pool.  Yes people, as in swimming pool.  Don't ask me because I am still puzzled.  I have lived in the South my whole life and always wanted but never had a  swimming pool.  We are now moving to the northeast, don't want a pool and having a hard time finding a house without one.  But again, I tell you, the yards, land and overall environment make it all.  It's beautiful.  The towns seem to move at a bit of a slower pace and each town revolves around the town Green.  The Green is a big deal.  Shops and quaint restaurants surround the Green and families can be seen there playing, picnicking and meeting for a town event.  I have to say, I think it's going to be a wonderful place to raise a family.  
But back to the house hunt... photos are also deceiving as top house choice number one seemed to be a little less than I had hoped.  We moved on throughout the day and found THE house, even though it had a pool and needed a few updates.  We made an offer and had closed the deal by dinner.  We scheduled the appropriate inspections and felt so good about it, that Lily Grace and I took a day off to visit the nearby Mystic Aquarium.  It was awesome and home to Baby Beluga Whales.
Then came inspection day.  About 3 hours into the inspections we learn of major issues and one of which involved termite damage to a major joist.  
We were so torn and heartbroken, but knew it was best to walk away and so we did.  
And things just continued to go down hill.  Let's see...the hotel water stopped in the middle of a shower where I had Lily Grace all shampooed up, Matt's suitcase broke and the topper which finally just led to laughter, Lily Grace's ginger ale (Yes my friends I let her have ginger ale, have you been reading this post... my nerves were shot.) in the airport restaurant on the way home when she dropped it and it went all over Matt.  He was covered and had to ride home on the plane in wet jeans.  I of course had to take out my iPhone and document this trip disaster.  
Needless to say, we still don't have a house in CT.  We will fly back next week to try again.  
Please say a little prayer for us.  Again, we just know that God has this all planned out and OUR house is there.