I tell you what, when it rains, it pours. I have been so busy at work, and it's just not letting up! We're still packing up a little every night with the hopes of being done by next weekend for the big move. YAY! We're so excited about everything going through and having a house. It still seems surreal... We're still having to work some things out with the flood insurance, but such is life I suppose. It was supposed to be worked out at closing, but we just found out there's another form we'll have to have involving hiring a surveyor or something. I haven't gotten all the details yet... Sigh.
This morning on our way in, we got a flat on 85, so that was an adventure. Fortunately, it was before I dropped Isaac off for work and it was on the passenger side, so he wasn't on the traffic side. Well, I think in my anxiety about it I didn't turn the car completely off, just the engine. So, when we went to leave, the battery was dead... The one thing I was in charge of, and I couldn't get that right! Lol, at least Isaac was sweet about it. We called 911, and they gave us the number for the HERO units, which is 511, for everyone's future information. I had just dialed their number when one pulled up behind us, so I guess they just patrol or something! He jumped us off and we were good to go. Except tonight on our way home we need to get tires now. Sigh again.
Yesterday was my 6 month appointment. (I can't believe it's been that long already.) We found out that both are boys for sure, so that was very exciting! They have more than a 20% difference in weight though, so I'm going to get a specialist ultrasound sometime in the next week or so to determine if they are fraternal or identical. However, for whoever would like to agree with me in prayer, I'm praying that Jacob (the littler one) puts on a few ounces by the time I get there and it's no big deal. At this point, only an ounce or two puts them in the greater than 20% difference range, so there's still lots of time to catch up! Oh, and the other little boy is Caleb (he's on my left side, kicking away) Jacob likes to do somersaults and roll under my ribs. :)
Ok, now back to the rat race.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
Hello Monday
Well, here we are...another Monday. Is it just me, or do the weeks fly by way too fast? What bothers me is that I'm only 26 and feeling this way. I know it's only going to go by more and more quickly as I get older. Sigh. I can't help but wonder how fast this week will go by as I'm really really looking forward to closing on friday. Then dealing with the complex on saturday morning and getting that over with and knowing what we have to pay and do, blah blah blah. Then we'll finally get to play at our new house the rest of the weekend! We are sooooo excited. It seems surreal right now...I can't believe I'll own a house.
I'm feeling rather groggy this morning, so I'm allowing myself a small shot of coffee (so far no inner olympic response) to take the edge off. I didn't sleep well last night and then was wide awake at 5:30. What's up with that? Of course, early bird Isaac had been up for awhile by then, so we just enjoyed a nice breakfast together. (Something I usually don't have the luxury of until I get to work as I generally choose sleep...) We got off to work early for once, so yay for overtime!
Oh! And for those of you who know about my mammoth album project I've been working on for Jeanne, I am finished!!! It kept growing, and growing and ended up being waaay more than I expected. Then, I decided to take all her childhood and older family photographs and restore them and scrapbook them as a heritage album for her. (They were falling apart and not even all in albums) So that book took the last year, and has turned out beautifully, if I do say so myself. A lot of work, but I know she'll love it, so I'm excited to give that to her :) And, I'll be honest; I'm so relieved to have it done! I was bound and determined not to move with those things again. Besides, it has been exactly 3 years since I began work on them, so I'm sure she'll be glad that I'm done too! She's all but the last 2 since last year though... Anyway, I'm guilt free to focus on packing and moving :)
Now, back to all the work stuff I really need to be doing...
I'm feeling rather groggy this morning, so I'm allowing myself a small shot of coffee (so far no inner olympic response) to take the edge off. I didn't sleep well last night and then was wide awake at 5:30. What's up with that? Of course, early bird Isaac had been up for awhile by then, so we just enjoyed a nice breakfast together. (Something I usually don't have the luxury of until I get to work as I generally choose sleep...) We got off to work early for once, so yay for overtime!
Oh! And for those of you who know about my mammoth album project I've been working on for Jeanne, I am finished!!! It kept growing, and growing and ended up being waaay more than I expected. Then, I decided to take all her childhood and older family photographs and restore them and scrapbook them as a heritage album for her. (They were falling apart and not even all in albums) So that book took the last year, and has turned out beautifully, if I do say so myself. A lot of work, but I know she'll love it, so I'm excited to give that to her :) And, I'll be honest; I'm so relieved to have it done! I was bound and determined not to move with those things again. Besides, it has been exactly 3 years since I began work on them, so I'm sure she'll be glad that I'm done too! She's all but the last 2 since last year though... Anyway, I'm guilt free to focus on packing and moving :)
Now, back to all the work stuff I really need to be doing...
Thursday, September 4, 2008
In this world you will have trouble...
...but take heart! For I have overcome the world. John 16:33
This was my first memory verse and I remember not really understanding it at the time. Over the years however, it has illuminated itself to me in many ways. As we have been going through this adventure of finding a house, a journey in which we knew surprisingly little about, God has opened doors, closed doors, put helpful people in our path, and provided in ways we never would have dreamed.
We found out this morning our closing date is next Friday, and Isaac and I both agreed last night we feel a very real peace about this house. From day one of our search, we prayed that God would put up obstacles if we tried to choose the wrong home, or make something work of our own accord that really wasn't in our best interest. The first time we went house hunting, we found a house we loved and both felt very good about. Then, the selling agent basically laughed at our offers, so we decided that must not be the house. A couple weeks later though, another selling agent from that same company called to see if we were still interested! Apparently there had been only one other offer since it had been on the market, and they were actually very interested in our offer!
So began the journey of a thousand phone calls and hurdles. Every time we ran into a road block however, God somehow came through and provided and I can't help but see his hand on it. Don't get me wrong, there were many times I was discouraged and wondered if this was the house for us at all. But, I am trying to see all the things that have come through that certainly don't make sense in the natural.
Another thing that occurred to me was this house situation is so minor. An anthill perspective if you will. It's big to us, but it's not cancer, the loss of a child or parent or friend, it's not losing a job, or having no food, clothes or car. And yet, I can't help but feel so loved by God that He would take interest in the tiny details of my life that are of no eternal value, just because He can. It doesn't have to be something big for him to care.
Matthew 6:26,27 - Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
We still have one more week until closing, and then next Saturday we go to the apartment complex to give them our 60 days notice and find out how much they are really going to require of us. According to our lease, it comes out to about $2700. Well, either God will reduce that amount somehow, or we'll have that money become available! Either way, we will trust, because all things (both good and bad) work together for good, and I believe He wants good for us.
Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
This was my first memory verse and I remember not really understanding it at the time. Over the years however, it has illuminated itself to me in many ways. As we have been going through this adventure of finding a house, a journey in which we knew surprisingly little about, God has opened doors, closed doors, put helpful people in our path, and provided in ways we never would have dreamed.
We found out this morning our closing date is next Friday, and Isaac and I both agreed last night we feel a very real peace about this house. From day one of our search, we prayed that God would put up obstacles if we tried to choose the wrong home, or make something work of our own accord that really wasn't in our best interest. The first time we went house hunting, we found a house we loved and both felt very good about. Then, the selling agent basically laughed at our offers, so we decided that must not be the house. A couple weeks later though, another selling agent from that same company called to see if we were still interested! Apparently there had been only one other offer since it had been on the market, and they were actually very interested in our offer!
So began the journey of a thousand phone calls and hurdles. Every time we ran into a road block however, God somehow came through and provided and I can't help but see his hand on it. Don't get me wrong, there were many times I was discouraged and wondered if this was the house for us at all. But, I am trying to see all the things that have come through that certainly don't make sense in the natural.
- We had no money for a down payment. Our broker told us about the Nehemiah Down Payment Program (that will be discontinued October 1st) that basically requires the seller pay the down payment. Woohoo!
- We still had no money for closing costs that were totaling close to $4000. The seller has agreed to pay those too. So because of that, we get our earnest money & appraisal fee back at closing. ($650) Woohoo again!
- Isaac and I made a list of everything we wanted in a house and prayed over it before we even began looking. The only thing on that list that this house doesn't have is hardwood floors. (And that was on our "it would be nice" section of the list)
- The termite inspection revealed we'd need a $650 treatment...and the sellers agreed to pay it because they didn't want that to be a deterrent.
- The appraisal came back at $101,000, and we're buying it for $95,000. (Plus they're paying for so much!) The house sold for $118,000 four years ago, so we're hoping with some love and care and the economy getting better our equity will keep going up!
- The appraisal also came back with a flag requiring flood insurance because of a creek way below at the back of the property (I don't even think the creek itself is on our property). Bottom line? Minimum coverage would be $2100...a year...and due at closing. This right here was a deal breaker, because if we couldn't get out of this, we couldn't buy the house! An extra $200 a month for coverage we don't need? I don't think so... The sellers are taking care of getting a permanent zoning change so it will no longer be required at all, and if it's not cleared by closing, they will pay the premium up front and be reimbursed by the insurance agency when it does clear.
Another thing that occurred to me was this house situation is so minor. An anthill perspective if you will. It's big to us, but it's not cancer, the loss of a child or parent or friend, it's not losing a job, or having no food, clothes or car. And yet, I can't help but feel so loved by God that He would take interest in the tiny details of my life that are of no eternal value, just because He can. It doesn't have to be something big for him to care.
Matthew 6:26,27 - Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
We still have one more week until closing, and then next Saturday we go to the apartment complex to give them our 60 days notice and find out how much they are really going to require of us. According to our lease, it comes out to about $2700. Well, either God will reduce that amount somehow, or we'll have that money become available! Either way, we will trust, because all things (both good and bad) work together for good, and I believe He wants good for us.
Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Must...take...break
So my world this week has been crazy! A good, "I definitely know I'm alive" crazy, but crazy nonetheless. This is a nice respite.
I'm beginning this journal for several reasons. The first being, I love to talk :) It helps me sort my thoughts. Second, I really enjoy Ashley's, particularly because they get emailed to me and I don't have to remember to check the blog... Third, it seemed like fun, and I thought if I enjoyed reading Ashley's, maybe my friends and family would enjoy mine. So welcome to my inner world, and thanks for coming along on the journey of a blonde's meandering thoughts!
Also, as a side note, I may aspire to do proofreading for income, but there will be days I just don't feel like bothering with a read-over and spell check. Also, I really love these ... so regardless of how grammatically incorrect they are, I will use them abundantly. (And for those of you who might have neurotic grammar preferences as I do, at least I put them in 3's!) Please withhold your judgments :)
I'm beginning this journal for several reasons. The first being, I love to talk :) It helps me sort my thoughts. Second, I really enjoy Ashley's, particularly because they get emailed to me and I don't have to remember to check the blog... Third, it seemed like fun, and I thought if I enjoyed reading Ashley's, maybe my friends and family would enjoy mine. So welcome to my inner world, and thanks for coming along on the journey of a blonde's meandering thoughts!
Also, as a side note, I may aspire to do proofreading for income, but there will be days I just don't feel like bothering with a read-over and spell check. Also, I really love these ... so regardless of how grammatically incorrect they are, I will use them abundantly. (And for those of you who might have neurotic grammar preferences as I do, at least I put them in 3's!) Please withhold your judgments :)
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