I spent the past four days in San Diego with Candyce and her family. I flew out Thursday night and got in at eight this morning on time for Monday at work.

I wasn’t planning on traveling out there over the weekend, but I realized it had been over three weeks since we had seen each other. If I didn’t go out this weekend it would’ve been almost five weeks apart. It doesn’t make me any tougher of a guy because I can go without my girlfriend. We’re at a point in our relationship where it’s all about commitment. So regardless of how busy I am out here in Phoenix, I have to make time for the two of us. She’s worth it.

Playing House
It felt GOOD to be together. We usually do the same thing: coffee shops, beach, and looking at houses. Looking at houses is my favorite part. You can call it “getting to know the market” or just snooping in someone else’s house, either way, we sure to have a good time. Part of the reason we love it is because homes in Phoenix and; San Diego are so different.;

In Phoenix, people like things to look uniform and in harmony with nature and one another. I like that because you don’t have to worry about your neighbor building an ugly house. And in fifteen years when your neighborhood isn’t new anymore, you can guarantee it will still look tidy and presentable. In San Diego, everyone builds off of the classic look of a California beach house. Every house seems to have so much personality and energy. You just want to kick off your sandals at the front door and start your living right away.

The opportunity became even more enticing when we found two homes in our favorite neighborhood that were for sale and within my price range. But it would take require that I cash out of every nickel in every investment that I have. The house would be an investment, just like any other, except this investment is a lot more fun.

Making it Work
This is how we would make it work. For the first couple years, we’d rent it out to beach-going vacationers to help bring in money that we could put back into the house.

Once the beach season passes, we would leave Phoenix for the long weekends and work on the house. This is the part that excited me the most, because there is nothing I’d love more than to spend time with my dad remodeling the house. It would be a dream for both of us.

After a couple years of renting it out and remodeling, Candyce and I would be married and we’d live in San Diego for the summers, then in Phoenix for the rest of the year. This way we could be near her family for at least part of the year.; Plus, it would be a terrific vacation spot for all my family back in Georgia. A house near the ocean would tease them into visiting me more often.;

The Big Decision
It was an exciting story waiting for us. But after praying, comparing money numbers, and discussing every pro and con, we decided it was too early to make a decision this big. I’m all for taking chances, but you cannot let your big dreams outrun your logic.; It’s best to be patient and continue to make smart investments now to make this dream come true tomorrow.

One thing that bothered Candyce and I most about the dream is that to make this come true, we would have no money free to give to our favorite charities. It would basically be a story of the two of us hoarding our God-given blessing so that we could have a cool place to live. It didn’t feel right.

Making this decision with Candyce was truly wonderful,; because it’s something BIG we did together. Some couple dread making decisions; together because it causes division and bitterness. But for us, it was a peace-filled and exciting decision to make together. This is a sign of a good life to come!