We got an offer on our house yesterday. We accepted. Closing date is May 26th. This is the sequence of events over the last few weeks:
Sometime about 6 weeks ago: I had a weird dream that our house sold and I was dealing with a man from Chicago. (you'll understand more of this later)
Monday, April 14th: John Laing Homes calls and tells us they will not honor our contingency and that build time is 10 months out from when we close on the house we are in. Too long!
Tuesday April 15th: I go for my morning walk and pray, and feel peace that it will work out, and that I need to go look at other houses.
Thursday April 17th: I go look at houses with my realtor, realize there isn't much out there to buy that is what we want, but go look at a different builder and find a house I love.
Sunday April 20th: Go back out to the model and really start deciding that this might be the house for us.
Wednesday April 23rd: Reserve the lot with Capital Pacific. We have until Sunday to decide if we want to sign a contract.
Thursday April 24th: Realize that there is no immediate pressure to sell the house, so for the first time since we listed it, I relax.
Saturday April 26th: Wake up at 8am to a call saying we have a showing in 2 hours. We get an offer. We accept. We also find out that our realtor knows someone who needs a renter for their house for 3 months this summer, which fits perfectly into our time frame of needing a rental.
Sunday April 27th: Sign a contract with Capital Pacific. We realize Micah, the CP guy we are working with is from Chicago! (weird, I know)
The fun begins. They start on our house in the next week or two. Matt and I get to go pick out of all our "things" for the new house within a week or two. FUN!!! The house will be done by the end of August. School will just be starting, so it should work out perfectly! And through it all I have realized how much God had His hand in all of this.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Jack
There is a little boy named Jack who is sick. He has cancer. I stumbled upon the blog his parents keep up, and ever since have felt drawn to a little boy and a family I do not know. I read the blog regularly. www.jackbrownappeal.org I have shed tears over the pain he and his family go through. They are from England, but are in the US trying to save Jack's life. And today I got out of my comfort zone and followed the Holy Spirit's leading....As I read the blog today, realizing I had already read the latest post from last week, my heart moved in a way I had not experienced. I felt so drawn to Yvonne, his mother. My heart broke for the whole family. And then, after much debate with myself, I sent his mother an email. I know, is seems so weird, and I felt it was. Who writes a long, heart felt email to someone they have never met or talked to before? I kept it short and simple, reminding her that God is the healer and miracle worker. I told her I was praying for her, and that as a mother, my heart broke for her.
To my pleasant surprise, she emailed me back shortly after I sent it!! I hadn't expected a response, so getting one was amazing. She told me that there have been a few others, like myself, who had written her but didn't know her, but that they just felt led to do so. She credited one particular lady with helping her grow closer to God. And while I won't share her whole email, as it is personal, I did want to share the last little bit with you, to encourage you to follow the Holy Spirit's leading, to open your heart up to the possibility of doing something out of the ordinary.
"Sometimes yes, I get very, very down... especially on days like today when Jack is in pain and just wants cuddles until he falls asleep. Then when I get a chance to look at my email and find one from you... well it makes it all very much easier to bear. I see your email as yet another sign from God, not to get discouraged. You have absolutely no idea how much you have uplifted me Deann, thank you."
God is so good. He is the great comforter. And we are on this earth to be the physical form of His love for people, maybe even strangers.
God is so good. He is the great comforter. And we are on this earth to be the physical form of His love for people, maybe even strangers.
Obstacles can be for a reason!
My last post informed you all of the latest with our builder. I was very unsettled about the whole situation. I took time to pray about it and felt led to go look at already existing houses as well as some other builders in the community we want to live in. So my realtor and I went out last Thursday and looked. I am so glad we did this, for a number of reasons.
1) I realized that I don't want to move to a different house, unless it can be out at Banning Lewis Ranch.
2) I realized that we are priced very right, and that our house really is upgraded and beautiful compared to what is out there.
3) I went out to a new builder that I bypassed when I was originally looking at BLR.
4) I was able to see that maybe God had used this experience with the new house as a way of getting me to stop and listen.
God always has the best for us. He knows the desires of our hearts and wants to give us those. He has always been faithful to Matt and I, ALWAYS! Even during those times when we sit back and wonder when He would show up and intervene, he always does. The reality is that He is already there, just waiting for us to turn to Him.
What I found at the new builder, Capital Pacific Homes, is a house very similar to the John Laing we were going to build. It has a lot I like better, and a few things I don't. We figure unless we custom build a house we won't ever have a house that is exactly perfect to what we want. This house is in a much better location. Front views of Pikes Peak, on a cul-de-sac, backing to a greenbelt and trails. Price is about the same, maybe a little cheaper. All in all, I really like it. The best part of it all is that they will take our contingency for at least 90 days, and in the mean time build our house. If all goes well we could be in our new home in August or September. With John Laing we are looking at 10 months from when we close and move out of the home we are in now.
We are now faced with a decision. Which house do we build. I firmly believe that God had his hand in all of this, and by have an obstacle put in our path, we were able to find something that works better for us, in almost every way. I'll keep you updated.
1) I realized that I don't want to move to a different house, unless it can be out at Banning Lewis Ranch.
2) I realized that we are priced very right, and that our house really is upgraded and beautiful compared to what is out there.
3) I went out to a new builder that I bypassed when I was originally looking at BLR.
4) I was able to see that maybe God had used this experience with the new house as a way of getting me to stop and listen.
God always has the best for us. He knows the desires of our hearts and wants to give us those. He has always been faithful to Matt and I, ALWAYS! Even during those times when we sit back and wonder when He would show up and intervene, he always does. The reality is that He is already there, just waiting for us to turn to Him.
What I found at the new builder, Capital Pacific Homes, is a house very similar to the John Laing we were going to build. It has a lot I like better, and a few things I don't. We figure unless we custom build a house we won't ever have a house that is exactly perfect to what we want. This house is in a much better location. Front views of Pikes Peak, on a cul-de-sac, backing to a greenbelt and trails. Price is about the same, maybe a little cheaper. All in all, I really like it. The best part of it all is that they will take our contingency for at least 90 days, and in the mean time build our house. If all goes well we could be in our new home in August or September. With John Laing we are looking at 10 months from when we close and move out of the home we are in now.
We are now faced with a decision. Which house do we build. I firmly believe that God had his hand in all of this, and by have an obstacle put in our path, we were able to find something that works better for us, in almost every way. I'll keep you updated.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Major Obstacle
Well, we have hit a potential snag in the plans, and I must say how disappointed I am. Yesterday we got a call from the builder, letting us know that John Laing Homes had changed their policy, and would not be doing contingent contracts anymore. They will allow us to have our contract for 30 more days, but will cancel it if we don't have an offer on the house. They also said that they would not start building the new house until we had sold our current home. We were originally told that we could go all the way to drywall before we had to have the house sold.
So I have started rethinking what the best choice for us is. The best scenario is to get an offer on the house within 30-45 days. If that occurs I think everything will still proceed as planned. If not, we will have lots of things to think about. If we still list the house, which will be in the prime season, and sell it but have no contract to build, we run the risk of losing our lot and not being able to build what we want. I was walking and praying early this morning and thought we could always look at buying an already existing home, but one that has what we want. The boys got into the school on their own, without us needing to live out there.
Lots to think about. I am a planner, so I am trying to get all the different possibilities figured out. Maybe I should just pray and believe that we will know what to do, and let God do the rest. But it is a frustration and disappointment. So let's all put forth our effort and prayers that a buyer for the house will come in within the next month or so.
So I have started rethinking what the best choice for us is. The best scenario is to get an offer on the house within 30-45 days. If that occurs I think everything will still proceed as planned. If not, we will have lots of things to think about. If we still list the house, which will be in the prime season, and sell it but have no contract to build, we run the risk of losing our lot and not being able to build what we want. I was walking and praying early this morning and thought we could always look at buying an already existing home, but one that has what we want. The boys got into the school on their own, without us needing to live out there.
Lots to think about. I am a planner, so I am trying to get all the different possibilities figured out. Maybe I should just pray and believe that we will know what to do, and let God do the rest. But it is a frustration and disappointment. So let's all put forth our effort and prayers that a buyer for the house will come in within the next month or so.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Time is Changing
Matt's dad, Rick, retired at the end of February after decades of straightening people's teeth. This past weekend he had a retirement dinner to honor his staff. Matt, his sister Elizabeth and I all went back to surprise him. And it worked!! It had been months of secret emails, secret phone calls, frustrations...but I think it was worth it. He had no clue. And if you knew him, you would know how miraculous this was!
He is one of the most giving people I know, and never wants the attention on him. (I am sure he is not happy with me right now!) We wanted to do something for him, but didn't feel like anything we could do would ever show him how much we love, respect, honor and appreciate him. That is when we decided to just be there for him this weekend. I am so glad we did.
I understand more than I once did about kids and parenting. One thing I don't understand yet is how it feels to have your kids home, once they don't live with you anymore. But seeing and hearing how happy he was that his kids were home made me realize we had chosen our gift to him wisely. I pray I can be the kind of parent to my boys that makes them want to come home and be with us after they have their own families.
The sad part is the house Matt grew up in, since he was 18 months old, is now sold to someone else. So we surprised Rick this weekend, we celebrated, and we said goodbye to an integral part of Matt's memories, and mine as well. I have been around long enough that it was sad for me, too. But everything has a season. We are thrilled for his parents and this new journey they are now on. But I am ever so grateful that memories are stored in our hearts and minds, and not within 4 walls.
So congrats to my father-in-law. I couldn't have asked for a better example for Matt, on being husband and provider for our family. I couldn't have asked for a better father-in-law, even if he wallpapers totally wrong!!! :)
He is one of the most giving people I know, and never wants the attention on him. (I am sure he is not happy with me right now!) We wanted to do something for him, but didn't feel like anything we could do would ever show him how much we love, respect, honor and appreciate him. That is when we decided to just be there for him this weekend. I am so glad we did.
I understand more than I once did about kids and parenting. One thing I don't understand yet is how it feels to have your kids home, once they don't live with you anymore. But seeing and hearing how happy he was that his kids were home made me realize we had chosen our gift to him wisely. I pray I can be the kind of parent to my boys that makes them want to come home and be with us after they have their own families.
The sad part is the house Matt grew up in, since he was 18 months old, is now sold to someone else. So we surprised Rick this weekend, we celebrated, and we said goodbye to an integral part of Matt's memories, and mine as well. I have been around long enough that it was sad for me, too. But everything has a season. We are thrilled for his parents and this new journey they are now on. But I am ever so grateful that memories are stored in our hearts and minds, and not within 4 walls.
So congrats to my father-in-law. I couldn't have asked for a better example for Matt, on being husband and provider for our family. I couldn't have asked for a better father-in-law, even if he wallpapers totally wrong!!! :)
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