How do you know when you've "made it" ?

This afternevening (say it a few times and you'll be hooked I swear!) my beautiful wife and I went to visit 6 more houses on the 2010 Parade of Homes list. They ranged in size from 1300+ square feet up to over 4000 square feet ... and in price from the mid $150s up to over $500,000 (that's "half a mill" for my boyz N da hood).

Two words: Yawn fest.

I was so disappointed at what I saw. Sure each house had some cool decorations and room designs that are nice to see and steal ideas from, but what a waste of money and space across the board!

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This has left me with only two possible conclusions:
#1. I am getting old and crotchety, longing for the good ol' days when "we lived in a one-bedroom log cabin with dirt floors and holes in the walls that always let the bitter wind and summer bugs come whipping through ... and we LIKED it! "

#2. I have actually fallen completely in love with our current home and it may, in fact, be about the closest to my real life dream home I could ever imagine (or at least the price was right and it's very functional and spacious ... until the kids are teenagers and then I'll have to pray for missions and college and marriage to drag them away from my little blue heaven).

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The evening was far from a total waste though as I was able to spend several hours with just Karen (thanks Grandma Julie for watching ALL 6 kids!) and that is always such a pleasure. I still wonder more often than anything else that puzzles me ... why on earth did she fall so hard for li'l ol' me?! No matter ... I married her for time and all eternity and now she can't back out! Sweet! :)
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**Oh and to answer my blog post title question: I think you know you have made it when you are so satisfied with everything you have that you could not possibly imagine wanting anything more ... because you already have it ALL! If that is true then I surely have "made it" because between Karen (I love you Pretty Lady!), my kids, the Gospel, etc. etc. I have everything I ever could possibly need in this life or the life to come!